2 1 4 Remarks on the extravagant Price 



history, many times their worth. It is stated in the prospectus 

 to the Family IJbrary, that the notoriously high price of 

 works on natural history has deterred many from looking into 

 natural history. Now, although I do not think that any one 

 naturally fond of that study would be prevented from con- 

 tinuing it by pecuniary obstacles, yet, I do think that the 

 grievance would be a serious hindrance in the prosecution of 

 the subject, and, as such, should be removed. For those 

 readers who are not aware of the unwarrantable charges put 

 on books, I will give a few examples. * 



Shaw's Zoology is advertised as follows : — " Shaw's Zoology, 

 vols. ix. to xix., 6 vols., published at 2>l. 1 5s. per vol., for 

 21. 105. the 6 vols, (large paper copy) quite new." Only 

 think, of charging Si. 1 5s. for a work which may any day be 

 obtained for 75. 6d. per vol., neatly done up in cloth, or 105., 

 handsomely half bound ! Another striking instance occurs 

 in the Ornithologia, a little work by Mr. Jennings, published 

 at 155., but which may now be obtained for 2s. : and it is worth 

 no more. The Field Book (published in 1833) was published 

 at 255., and may now be had for 165. Rennie's edition of the 

 Ornithological Dictionary was published at 21 5.: I procured 

 it, quite new, for 155., thus deducting 6s.; for which might be 

 obtained one of Swainson's admirable volumes on zoology, in 

 Lardner's Cyclopaedia, replete with profound views and philo- 

 sophic induction ; or six numbers of the British Cyclopaedia 

 of Natural History ; or three numbers of your own interesting 

 and useful Magazine of Natural History. 



Your quondam reviewer, A. R. Y., says (Vol. IV., p. 39.), 

 " The high price of books is a subject on which, whatever 

 might have been the case formerly, there is no reasonable 

 ground for complaint in the present day." While writing 

 this passage, your able correspondent had an eye to the Library 

 of Entertaining Knowledge; and, certainly, the works of which 

 that consists cannot be charged with being over dear, whatever 

 else may be said of them : see the Analyst, vol. ii. p. 347. 

 But I am sure that A. R. Y., and every other equally candid 

 person, will confess, on considering the previous statements, 

 that the poor naturalist does not get near his money's worth 

 from the bookvender. 



There is hardly a work that could be named that is not 

 charged far above its worth. Jesse's Gleanings is an interest- 

 ing work, full of pleasant anecdotes ; but it is exorbitant at 

 105. 6d. per vol. The British Naturalist is far more reason- 

 able, being 6s. per vol. We are happy in perceiving that this 

 excellent little work has, as predicted by A. R. Y., arrived at 

 a 2d edition. The last edition of Bewick, published in 1832, 



