1826. ] The Book-Trade. 19 
on this subject; but Mr. Rees, in the very able evidence to which we 
have already alluded, states that he considers it to fluctuate from one- 
third to one-tenth of the whole expenses attending publication. He 
adds that their house paid for advertisements, in newspapers alone, in 
twelve months (1817-18) the sum of £4,638 7s. 8d., of which Mr. R. 
conceives that about £1,500, or rather less than one-third, went to 
Government !* These undeniable facts speak more strongly than any 
comments we could make. 
II. The provisions of the Copyright Act, especially that which relates 
to the furnishing eleven copies of every work published to certain 
public libraries, have excited so much comment and just complaint, that it 
would be superfluous to go into a general discussion of the question here. 
Indeed, we think that till the public librarics make out some case 
against the triumphant facts and arguments adduced before the Select 
Committee of 1818, it is merely fighting a battle already won to bring 
forward additional reasoning upon the subject. It does, indeed, seem 
most preposterous that eleven public bodies, instituted professedly for 
the encouragement of learning, and amply, profusely, splendidly 
endowed for that purpose, should levy a tax upon the literature of the 
country, by being furnished gratis with a copy of every work which issues 
from the press. We say ‘ every work;’ for, with the exception of the 
University of Dublin, and of the Library of the Faculty of Advocates, 
which do not claim novels and music, every work printed is actually claim- 
ed !—which the provisions of the last Act render a necessary preliminary 
to delivery. Nay, every work is claimed at Stationers’ Hall, and ac- 
tually delivered there: if, therefore, the two libraries abovenamed make 
the exceptions, which it is stated they do, we should like to know what 
become of the copies delivered for them? Do they rot, as at Cam- 
bridge ? or are they sold at a debased price ? -and for whose benefit ? 
We shall not, however, discuss the merits of the general question; we 
shall only adduce a few instances of the ‘giant-like’ manner in which 
this ‘ giant-like’ power is exercised.+ 
The late Dr. Clarke (the traveller), one of the librarians of the public 
library at Cambridge, and one of the most strenuous advocates for the 
claims of the universities, says (in his evidence before the Select Com- 
_® Messrs. Whittaker, in the twelve-months 1824-25, paid for newspaper adver_ 
tisements £5,910. 
+ Among a few of the facts given in evidence are the following :—Several booksel- 
lers stated that they had declined the publication of works of great expense and 
limited demand, in consequence of the delivery of the eleven copies—A History of the 
Coinage—and a work of Baron Humboldt’s on South American Plants—were in- 
‘stanced among several others. The list of those which would not have been under- 
taken, had the law existed at the time of their projection, was extremely numerovs. 
The law-booksellers stated, that new editions of law-books, with notes and additions 
to fit them for the present state of the law, were avoided in consequence of their 
being subject to this claim. The prices of the eleven copies of the following works 
are as under ‘— i 
Mr. Haslewood’s Reprint of the Mirror of Magistrates ........ £138 12s. 
PIPUME De RAUCKATIA sorta cdiats sic ctle sas c'c’s chs « seman ae ee tewa cont ASG le 
Whittaker’s History of Leeds .......- wv sles ielaahe o'eha el wielaaleletaatee’ (LANG 14, 
Lodge’s Portraits of Illustrious Persons ..........e-se.s++22 650 0 
Dugdale’s Monasticon and History of St. Paul’s,...........-.. 1008 0 . 
pyievent cs CIMGRICS «1... )A tN ieee eT ee oe cee es 1900 0 
Here’s a pretty tax for the behoof of bodies endowed that they may buy such books 
- Surely this extortion is as flagrant as it is mean ! : : 
D2 
