324 ON THE TRACK OF THE MAIL-COACH 



publishers, and some other classes, there surely is no 

 doubt. 



A little anecdote of the early days of the book post 

 is worth preserving. To Bertram House, at Hamp- 

 stead, where Sir Rowland had taken up his abode, 

 once came, on the institution of the book post, the 

 late Professor De Morgan, to suggest a relaxation of 

 the rule which forbade writing of any sort in a book- 

 packet. Was the lover of old books, urged the 

 Professor, to be debarred from sending a volume to a 

 friend, except at the cost of letter-postage, simply 

 because within was written the legend : 



' Anne Price, Her Booke. 

 May she have Grace 

 Therein to looke ' ? 



Sir Rowland admitted the soft impeachment, and 

 forthwith amended the rules. 



It is not unlikely that, much to the public 

 advantage, the concession then made virtually opened 

 the floodgate which has let into the book-post an 

 influx of postal matter so striking, as still, in the 

 forty and forty-first reports on the Post-Office, to call 

 for special observation. 



