KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



animal substances, till coming into contact 

 with fluid matter of whatever description it 

 starts into life, and swarming in the ocean, 

 and its tributary streams ; it was not thus 

 dispersed everywhere, either alive or in a 

 state to revive and live, but for some great 

 purpose, for which its organisation, struc- 

 ture, and station amongst animals, particu- 

 larly adapt it. 



[We have gleaned these interesting parti- 

 culars from the Eev. William Kirby's 

 Bridgewater Treatise, " On the Power, 

 Wisdom, and Goodness of God," — a work 

 that ought to be in the hands of every think- 

 ing man in the kingdom. We congratulate 

 the public on these " Bridgewater Treatises" 

 having come into the possession of Mr. 

 H. G. Bohn, who, at a cost merely nominal, 

 is about to present them in all their freshness 

 to the world at large. We say " freshness," 

 because their original cost was fearfully 

 exorbitant. They were " sealed books " to 

 the masses.] 



POPXJLAK DISCUSSIONS. 

 THE BOOKSELLERS' QUESTION— No. II. 



We have already shown how bitterly 

 the large Publishing houses have repented 

 their rash act of folly in interfering with 

 the profits of the Retail trade. They have 

 opened the eyes of the public at. large to " a 

 great fact," of which some few only were 

 before cognisant ; but of which, now, the 

 world at large will of course take advantage. 



We have settled the point of discussion 

 about the rate of profit allowed by the 

 wholesale booksellers to the retail book- 

 sellers ; and proved that it is, under all cir- 

 cumstances, by no means exorbitant. How- 

 ever it is, we learn, to be considerably 

 reduced, if not altogether held back. This, 

 time will show. 



We are to-day to deal with the " cheap 

 booksellers." These are few in number, — 

 at least the very " cheap booksellers," who 

 regularly take off 20 per cent, from the pub- 

 lished price of all new books. We well 

 know, but do not consider it needful to men- 

 tion, the parties who have given most 

 offence. These gentlemen are book mer- 

 chants, — dealing very largely in second-hand 

 books, and valuable " remainders" of books 

 purchased at " trade dinner sales," and also 

 privately, of their respective publishers. 

 These, when first purchased, are in what are 

 technically called sheets or quires, — that is, 

 unbound. Strangely however, and hand- 

 somely are they soon arrayed, and bedizened 

 in calf, morocco, and other " taking" bind- 

 ings ; and thereby their value becomes en- 

 hanced — we will not say to what extent. 

 If however we " guessed" that from 50 to 



100 per cent, is often realised on some of 

 these purchases, and generally 50 per cent., 

 we need not fear contradiction ; we are quite 

 within the mark. 



Now then, we come to the why and 

 because of the very " cheap booksellers" 

 making the public so large an allowance on 

 New Publications. It is with a view to 

 entice them to their well-stored shops. Once 

 there, book-buyers soon find cause sufficient 

 to repeat their visit. Indeed, if these cheap 

 booksellers were to sell new publications 

 without any profit at all, it would answer 

 their purpose admirably well, — on the same 

 principle that a grocer sells his sugars at 

 cost price to secure customers for his teas 

 and other articles. 



We do not see how this can be pre- 

 vented. When a man buys anything, — either 

 in large or small quantities, surely the pur- 

 chase is his own ; de jure et de facto, as the 

 lawyers say. There is no law existing that 

 can prevent it, — but there is a law existing 

 that permits it. Hence the folly of the 

 Great Houses attempting to " bark," when 

 their teeth are drawn. They ivould bite, but 

 they can't bite. As for their growl, Lord 

 Campbell laughed at it, — so did the " cheap 

 booksellers ;" so did the Public. They are 

 now muzzled. 



We have thus satisfactorily shown, wherein 

 consists the much-vaunted philanthropy of 

 the " cheap booksellers," who talk so loudly 

 about disseminating knowledge at a cheap 

 rate — for the " benefit of their fellow man !" 

 We have lived long enough to know, that 

 selfishness exists largely in us all ; and we 

 verily believe that in every case, where we 

 find cheap folk " selling off at ruinous 

 sacrifices for the benefit of the Public," they 

 are realising thereby an extra profit for 

 themselves of some 50 per cent, over the 

 former prices. 



So much for the " cheap booksellers." 

 We have perhaps let them off too easily, — 

 but we deprecate anything like bitterness. 



HUBS OF SONG. 



Give me but 

 Something whereunto I may bind my heart, 

 Something to love, to rest upon, — to clasp 

 Affection's tendrils round. Mrs. Hemans. 



NO. XVII.— THE NIGHTINGALE. 



We are glad to know, and as happy 

 to be able to record it, that this has been 

 a " bad season" for nightingales — bad in so 

 far as their enemies, the bird-catchers, are 

 concerned. These human, or rather mhuman 

 vermin, have laid in wait for their innocent 

 victims in vain. The weather has been cold 

 and chilly, and the abundance of rain which 

 has fallen has clothed the trees with such rich 



