Periodical Works on Natural History, 807 



of is, being charged enormously for a plain, printed titlepage 

 and index, without any portrait of the author, without any 

 ornamental vignette, or expensive decorations, but merely the 

 ordinary titlepage and index to the volume ; for which (if 

 they must be paid for separately) the smallest denomination 

 of the current coin would be a high price ; and which, in 

 common fairness, ought to be given to each purchaser (as 

 Dr. South says), " like paper and packthread, into the bar- 



For the edification of all concerned in these petty practices, 

 I will now take leave to relate a very homely anecdote, the 

 moral lesson of which they will do well to apply to themselves. 

 When I was at school, Mr. Editor, we boys used to buy eat- 

 ables of an old woman whom I believe to have been a very 

 fair dealer. However, schoolboy-like, our pockets, too, being 

 sometimes low, we were always for having a good pennyworth 

 for our money ; and often used to jeer this honest old crea- 

 ture, very unjustly, I believe, for not giving us good measure. 

 One day she happened to be weighing out some sausage-meat, 

 when the usual cry was raised, more in jest than earnest, 

 " Mother Parker, that is not weight ! — put a little more into 

 the scale." " Don't be afraid," she replied, " you shall have 

 good weight, I warrant you ; for I promise you, my lad, I will 

 never go to hell for half a pound of sausages." I have to 

 apologise for the homeliness — the coarseness, if you will — and 

 vulgarity of this anecdote ; yet, I must say, the strong good 

 sense and honest principle evinced by this humble but respect- 

 able tradeswoman deserve to be recorded to her honour, and 

 may advantageously be held up as examples for the imitation 

 of some who are her superiors in rank and education. Half 

 a crown or three and sixpence per annum can hardly be a sum 

 of consequence to any one who can afford to indulge in the 

 luxury of a periodical work on natural history. But nobody 

 likes to think himself imposed upon, even to the amount of a 

 farthing. And I speak sincerely when I say, that I really do 

 grieve to see the names of respectable authors and editors — 

 men of taste, science, and education — naturalists — associ- 

 ated with such paltry artifices as those which I have endea- 

 voured to expose. For their own credit and character's sake, 

 I would entreat them to abandon such mean conduct : it is 

 calculated to disgust the public, and deter many from giving 

 their support to a most convenient and pleasing class of works, 

 who otherwise might be well disposed to do so.* At the 



* I have been informed, on unquestionable authority, that a certain 

 nobleman of the higher grade, and of princely fortune, to whom money 

 could be only a secondary consideration, having been solicited to take in a 



