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house, and Porter & Coates, and was generally signed to take effect from September 1st. In this city, the regular trade is all right, and it only remains now to put the discounts right up to the professional undersellers.

AN admirable letter on the reform, in reply to some remarkable logic of a correspondent | opposing it, appeared in the Tribune of Aug. 16th, and the trade should "make a note on't."

The Boston Meeting.

man's customers, and the customers have almost as little disposition to go away from home to buy.

But there is now and then a retailer of another kind. He wants to stand between publisher and buyer, with no other object in the world except to take life easy and get a good profit on what books the people have to buy. But this man has no claim to protection, and the publisher has no interest in him, for he decreases has mistaken his calling; he should sell his few rusty volumes at auction and "step down and out," leaving his place to be filled by a bet

rather than increases the sale of books. He

ter man.

But there is one very strong reason why publishers have an interest in protecting re

The book trade is evidently undergoing a radical change. Readers are depending more and more on libraries. Where fifty volumes were sold in former years, scarce ten are called for now, in proportion to the population and wealth.

THE meeting of the book trade of New-Eng-tailers. land at the Parker House, Boston, called together nearly a hundred publishers, jobbers, and booksellers from most of the Eastern States. Mr. Randolph came from Lake George to attend the meeting, and on nomination of Mr. William Lee, who called the meeting to order, was elected chairman. Mr. W. H. Dennett, a veteran Boston publisher, was made secretary of the meeting. Mr. Randolph, in taking the chair, made some pleasant remarks, alluding to Mr. Lee, and Mr. Lee then spoke as follows: GENTLEMEN: I am glad to meet so good a delegation of the New-England book trade. With such an attendance we may well hope to accomplish our object in coming here.

We are here, to quote the words of the call, "to form an organization which, in connection with the American Book Trade Association and the Publishers' Board of Trade, shall arrange a uniform scale of prices, such as shall once more give to both country and city booksellers a fair living profit."

We all know how much a step of this kind is needed; we have all watched with interest the progress of the book trade reform, which is working so well in the West, and I need not stop to tell you what has been accomplished by the two great conventions, the first at Put-in Bay, and the other at Niagara Falls. What we need now is to follow up in New-England what has been so well begun elsewhere.

There is a notion abroad that publishers and jobbers have not the same interest as the retailers have in this movement; but this is not so. It is true, publishers could make and sell their books in lots small or large; they could supply all the libraries, and all retail buyers. But the book trade of the country would suffer by such a course; that is to say, there would be hardly half so many books sold, and the community would suffer even more. A retail bookstore stocked with books that are fully up to the tastes of those living around it, is one of the most valuable literary institutions that a country town can boast of one of the very best educators that our country can afford; it diffuses a taste for reading and study throughout the community. The very backs and titles of the books on the shelves have an inspiration in them to all the young people who enter the store, and in this way the number of future book-buyers is largely increased.

The owner of such a bookstore as this is a public benefactor, and deserves to be patronized and protected. Neither the publisher nor the public can afford to lose him. The publisher has no disposition to sell his books to such a

Now circulating libraries have their place, and may do an immense amount of good, if kept within their proper bounds. For the lighter class of books, such as need to be read but once, they serve a good purpose. A firstrate town library is also a convenient place to keep expensive books of reference. But when it is made to take the place of home libraries, it becomes a great demoralizer. It leads to light and careless reading. Most books that are worth reading once, are worth reading twice, and are worth owning, Careful reviewing, we are told, is what makes the scholar and the thinker.

Now if books are ordered mainly direct from the publishers, they will finally come to be ordered almost exclusively by libraries, and the sale will fall off proportionally. Thus publishers in the first place, and at length the whole community, will suffer. Well-stocked retail bookstores, and live and active retail booksellers, will do more than any thing else to set readers to buying their books again and reading them more carefully.

In a word, nothing can be clearer than the fact that publishers, jobbers, retailers, have a common interest in this movement, which has been so well begun, and the large dealers are ready to strengthen the hands of the retailers in every practicable way.

But-and I want to say it here and nowthe whole New-England trade are expected to take hold thoroughly in earnest. A year ago. when this movement began, there were some parties who cheered it on; but when the rules began to work, and many of us were trying to carry them out to the letter, at a great sacrifice of trade, these same parties held back, hoping to catch the trade that was lost by the rest of us. By the present regulations there is a provision for cases of this kind. If a bookseller stands out, the 20 per cent rule may be suspended in his section of country, and books can be sold at any price that dealers choose to put upon them.

Now if any booksellers undertake to stand out this year, I, for one, propose to give them as much of low prices as they may want. And if we begin to retail at wholesale prices, it will be no quarter off, but a third, or even forty per cent on first-class books.

It is well to have this matter well understood at the start, so that there may be no cause of complaint if the time should come for a suspension of the rules.

Mr. Randolph added that the Association must be a union in the fullest sense of the word, and said that New-York houses were prepared to take strong action against undersellers.

Mr. James Campbell offered a resolution setting forth that in view of the formation of a Western Booksellers' Association, with headquarters at Chicago, and of a Central Association, with head-quarters at New-York, it was expedient to complete the organization of the trade by forming an Eastern Association, aux iliary to the A. B. T. A., composed of all the publishers and booksellers of the New-England States. Mr. Campbell suggested a committee of five for the purpose; but on amendment of Mr. Ticknor, the number was made fifteen, and the resolution was then carried. Mr. Lothrop proposed that this should also be a nominating committee, to report a list of officers, which suggestion was accepted. The following committee was named:

S. F. Nichols, Nichols & Hall, Boston.
J. L. Hammett, Boston.

H. A. Young, Boston.
James Campbell, Boston.

Charles A. B. Shepard, Lee & Shepard, Bos

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James Noyes, Bailey & Noyes, Portland, Me.
Mr. Goodenough, Providence, R. I.
Benjamin Earle, Fall River, Mass.
W. F. Draper, Andover, Mass.

While the committee was out, there was the

usual " experience meeting," participated in by Messrs. Goodenough, of Providence; Tomlinson, Eastman. of Concord; Randolph, Hammet, of Newport; Nelson & Spear, of Amherst; Parker, of Hanover; Sever, of Cambridge; Dawes, of New-Bedford; Tibbitts, of Providence; Williams. of Providence; Wood, of Newport; N. J. Bartlett, of Boston, and Mr. Randolph again, who summed up the facts brought out in the discussion, and strongly advocated the twenty per cent rule.

A number of cordial letters were then read. A member of the firm of Hoyt, Fogg & Donham, of Portland, Me., wrote that " circumstances and the inevitable hay fever, which is not a circumstance," prevented their attendance, but they authorized Mr. Lee to vote early and often for them in favor of such honorable measures as can best characterize a profession to which they were proud to belong. E. F. & W. G. Duren, and Charles Hight, of Bangor, Me., united in a cordial letter. D. H. Knowlton, of Farmington, Me, expressed himself in full sympathy, and asked that his name should be added to the Association. S. Huntington, of Burlington, Vt., wrote "Amen" to all the associations had so far done-" Only continue in well-doing, and count me in for all." E. B. Whiting, of St. Albans, Vt., regretted his enforced absence, and wrote:

"I long since became discouraged and disgusted with the bookselling business which I have followed for thirty years, and of late have been more especially engaged in other business. The efforts to improve the trade I hope may prove successful. It would seem to be for the interest of all parties."

A Vermont dealer wrote as follows:

BRANDON, Vт., Aug. 16, 1875. MR. WILLIAM LEE, Chairman Executive Committee A. B. T. A., Boston, Mass.: DEAR SIR: I find it impossible to accept your invitation, but I wish to express my entire dissatisfaction with the manner the book trade has been conducted in the past few years by publishers, and my hearty sympathy with any movement which has for its object the removal of the unnecessary but disastrous evils which have cursed the retailers of late.

I am glad to know the day is dawning when publishers must protect the legitimate retail dealer, or cease to sell to him. I believe this is the plain English of it. When my next-door neighbor, who happens to be in the harness, furniture, drug, or jewelry business, can buy books of the publishers as low as I can, and in some instances even lower, it is high time I cried out against it. When retailers find that the publishers are their competitors, as I have found in several instances recently, it can not be a matter of surprise to any man that they leave the field to the publishers in disgust.

It seems to me there should be a uniform rate of discount on all books to all dealers-to those, and those only, who are known to be in the book trade.

If it be objected that this plan would not, in all its phases, prove favorable to the interests of the publisher-that in order to induce professional men, schools, and associations to buy, a discount must be made, it may be replied that the nominal retail price of nearly all books is too high.

By reducing the retail price, and then establishing a uniform rate of discount to dealers, publishers would thus offer an "inducement" which, it seems to me, would be attended by the best results to them in the end.

At present, no retailer can have any heart to try to sell books. Give him the inducement of 25 per cent, or even 20 per cent discount, for his labor, and he will gladly work, and work for the publisher, because he will at the same time be working for himself. This would be as good a guarantee of success to all meritorious publishers as they could hope to find anywhere.

For one, I would be content with a discount of 25 per cent, if, when a customer comes in (and objects to the price, or takes it without grumbling, as the case might be), I could be morally certain he could not buy the book one cent less of any other living man, or set of men.

On that basis I could sell books, and shall hail the day when I shall have a chance to try it. That day will see publishers and retailers fast friends, as they ever should be. It will see more books sold, and infinitely less dissatisfaction on the part of the public.

That your meeting on the 19th inst. may do what it can to hasten that glad day, is the earnest wish of Yours very truly,

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protection to the trade, and have lost some customers by a noted Boston house, who first signed the 20 per cent rule, offering now to sell private parties and small buyers at even 40 per cent off, while the same party had bought of us within a month at 20 per cent off, and said he was satisfied to pay it. We would like to call names, but forbear. We wish no discount was given on small orders outside the trade, and on single book orders. We refuse to give any, and trust the time will come when all publishers will see they are cutting their own throats by selling to every one alike. We carry $10 worth of miscellaneous books now where we used to have $100. Put us down for any thing reasonable, so that we can keep more books in stock and less Yankee notions.'

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Letters indorsing the proposed association were received also from J. M. Davis and A. E. Jones, of Farmington, Me.; Valpey, Angell & Co., Providence; W. H. Gross, Hartford; Geo. H. Williams, Putnam, Ct., and others.

The Committee here returned, and their report was read by Mr. Shepard. On motion, the report was accepted, and it was voted to proceed to the consideration of the Constitution, article by article. The name adopted was the New-England Booksellers' Association. The Constitution was essentially that of the Central Association. Articles I.-XII. were adopted seriatim, and afterward the Constitution as a whole. On motion of Mr. Campbell, opportunity was then given to sign the Constitution, and the following became members on the spot:

SIGNERS OF THE CONSTITUTION OF N. E. B. AS-
SOCIATION, BOSTON, AUGUST 19, 1875.

Lee & Shepard, Boston.
James Campbell, Boston.

Edson C. Eastman, Concord, N. H.
D. Lothrop, Boston.

Bailey & Noyes, Portland, Me.

N. Bangs Williams & Co., Providence, R. I. Tibbitts & Randall, Providence, R. I. Edmund Dews.

J. L. Hammett, Boston.

J. S. Locke & Co., Boston.

Otis Clapp & Son, Boston.

Thompson, Brown & Co., Boston.

N. F. Smith, Milford, Mass.

S. M. Morse & Co.

Lockwood, Brooks & Co., Boston.
C. C. McLauthlin.

Nichols & Hall, Boston.

Charles W. Sever, Cambridge, Mass.

Otis K. Newton, Westboro, Mass.
William S. Patten, Quincy.
James R. Osgood & Co., Boston.
Benjamin Earl & Son, Fall River.
Roberts Bros., Boston.

The Association being thus started, Mr. Ticknor proposed the following list of officers, and was, on motion, appointed to cast the vote of those present for the same:

President-A. Williams, of Boston.

Vice-Presidents-G. B. Loring, of Portland; J. H. Foster, of Portsmouth; S. Huntington, of Burlington; W. F. Draper, of Andover; Daniel Perrin, of Providence; W. J. Hamersley, of

Hartford.

Treasurer-J. E. Merrill.

Corresponding Secretary-William Tomlinson, of Boston.

Recording Secretary-Charles L. Damrell, of Boston.

Executive Committee-William Lee, of Boston, chairman; S. F. Nichols, T. W. Deland, J. R. Osgood, James Campbell, of Boston; David Bugbee, of Bangor; W. H. Gross, of Hartford.

Arbitration Committee-J. L. Hammett, Dana Estes, H. O. Houghton, D. F. Knight, M. H. Sargent, of Boston; James Noyes, of Portland; S. S. Rider, of Providence.

Committee on Finance-Andrew Graves, of Boston; B. H. Ticknor, of Boston; C. E. Hammett, of Newport; G. T. Tibbets, of Providence; A. L. Dresser, of Portland.

Committee on Assemblies-C. A. B. Shepard, of Boston; John S. Lockwood, of Boston; C. W. Sever, of Cambridge; Putnam, of Worcester; E. C. Eastman, of Concord.

On motion, the proposed by-laws, the same as the original by-laws of the Central Association, were again read, but the subject was laid on the table for the present. On motion of Mr. Lee, the resolution of the A. B. T. A. regarding discounts was adopted by the Association, an amendment by Mr. Campbell, to omit the words "clergymen and teachers," being lost.

A resolution offered by Mr. Campbell, after amendment, was passed, as follows:

Resolved, That we earnestly protest against publishers selling their own publications at a discount from the prices they had themselves affixed, in any quantity to parties outside the trade.

A second resolution offered by him was also

The Tillinghast & Mason News Co.; J. W. passed:
Tillinghast, manager, Providence, R. I.
Knight, Adams & Co., Boston.

Andrew F. Graves, Boston

James Mitchell, Charlestown.

A. Williams & Co., Boston.

H. J. Ward, Newport, R. I.

L. J. Noros, Fall River, Mass.

John S. E. Rogers, Gloucester, Mass.

Resolved, That we respectfully protest against school-book publishers selling their schoolbooks to teachers, or retailing them to scholars or students, at less than the retail prices they themselves have made.

On motion, Messrs. H. A. Tillinghast, E. C. Eastman, and H. A. Young were appointed a

J. F. Cummings, agent American Tract Soci- committee to conduct the President to the

ety, Boston.

Nolan & Fay, Marlboro', Mass.
Allen & Cowan, Palmer, Mass.
Robert Adams, Fall River.
Edwin Nelson, Amherst, Mass.
N. J. Bartlett, Boston.

M. N. Spear, Amherst, Mass.
J. B. Parker, Hanover, N. H.
William Tomlinson, Boston.
W. F. Draper, Andover.

chair. Mr. Williams then spoke as follows:

GENTLEMEN: It is an honor of which one may well be proud, to be called upon to preside over the New-England Booksellers' Association. It is a position I have not sought for, and it would have been more grateful to my feelings to have declined; but your united voices and the urgent solicitation of friends have prevailed, and I accept the distinguished position with sincere thanks.

I must infer that you have selected me by reason of my long experience in the retail book business in this city, and it may be because I occupy the "Old Corner Bookstore "-a place made famous the world over by the presence of the greatest wits and poets of this age and generation.

We have met here to-day to see if we can make the book business of Boston and of NewEngland a fairer and more honorable business, and elevate it to the standard of other trades and professions.

No one will deny that during the last five years the retail book business has suffered from the severest competition in prices, completely demoralizing the trade, and causing general depression and loss. We have met together as "mutual sufferers" to devise ways and means of relief and redress. In these and such other measures as will tend to secure the objects of the Association, you may rely on my entire devotion to your interests.

Mr. Randolph, on leaving the chair, made a few remarks, and was honored with a vote of thanks from the Association.

The time of putting the rules into operation was then discussed, and it was carried that they should be binding from August 25th.

On motion, the PUBLISHERS' WEEKLY was made the official organ of the Association.

On motion, the Executive Committee was requested to solicit the names of New-England booksellers as members of the Association. The meeting then adjourned.

Discounts to Ministers.

BY A RETAIL BOOKSELLER.

(From New-York Evangelist, August 5th.) FOR many years it has been customary in the book trade to make a discount to ministers of from fifteen to twenty per cent. At the recent convention of publishers and booksellers at Niagara Falls, this custom was indorsed. The trade were allowed to discount twenty per cent to ministers, teachers, libraries, and large buyers of books, but required to exact full retail prices from all other classes in the community.

The clergy will no doubt be gratified with this favorable ruling, not thinking what effect this practice has had and will continue to have upon the bookseller. While the latter yields to the practice of the trade in granting the discount, he feels that it is unjust, and is looking forward to the time when all class distinctions shall be abolished.

Is it proper to ask why should ministers be entitled to a discount, and the full price be required of others? Is it because, as a class, they are more poorly paid than other men, and should therefore be treated as mendicants? It is doubtful whether this aspect of the case would be agreeable or strictly true, and yet it is upon this ground undoubtedly that the favor is granted. But supposing it to be true, why should not the druggist and the grocer, the hardware dealer and the tailor, make a twenty per cent discount as well as the bookseller?

The home missionary receives a salary of $1000. How many in his congregation have a larger income? The pastor in the East receives a salary of from $1000 to $10,000. portion of his congregation earn as much? It

What pro

should be remembered, too, that the minister is to an extent free from taxes, pew-rent, and many calls upon his purse to which the business man is subject.

Now is it right to exact from the laboring man, the mechanic, the clerk, $1 for a book, and sell the same to a clergyman for 80 cents? Can the man who receives his $2 a day see any consistency in paying $1.50 for a school-book, while the minister who has a salary of $2500 pays but $1.20?

We doubt the rightfulness of such distinctions, and question whether all such favors, whether from booksellers, railroads, or the Government itself, do not have a tendency to degrade the profession, and to detract from an independence which, above all men, they should seek to retain. We do not believe it in accordance with the teachings of the New Testament, or with the practice of Christ and his apostles, thus to ask or accept of favors. The chief apostle would maintain his independence even to the extent of declining all pay for his preaching. Christ asked no exemption for himself or his disciples, from the taxes to which other men were subject.

If the publisher or bookseller wishes to favor the profession, let him give the book out and out, and if the minister wishes to retain his self-respect and the respect of other men, let him contribute his share towards sustaining all honorable kinds of business by paying the full price.

It is believed that if ministers would reflect upon this matter, their views and practice would be changed. There is no doubt misapprehension in regard to the real cost of books to the publisher and seller.

The ordinary discount to the retail bookseller is one third, increased in some cases by an additional five per cent, making the cost of a book published at $1, 64 or 67 cents. A discount of twenty per cent would make the price 80 cents. This would seem to leave a fair margin for profits. But to the original cost must be added the expense of conducting the business, and this brings the cost of the one dollar book to quite 80 cents, and perhaps over. It will thus be seen that, by a discount of twenty per cent, the entire net profit is taken off, leaving the seller nothing upon which to live. Should this discount be made to all, it would be plain that the bookseller would soon be a bankrupt. In some sections this has been done, and the seller has only been kept from bankruptcy by adding to his stock in trade almost every imaginable kind of merchandise, thus degrading the calling, and converting a place which should be the fountain of light to the country about, to a mere confectionery and toy store.

What the retail bookseller desires is, that publishers should reduce the retail pricesmake a less discount to the trade, and none whatever to those who are outside. It is believed thus the interest of all parties would be advanced-the purchaser would not expect a discount, and the sales of both publishers and booksellers would be increased.

MR. A. SETLIFF, of Nashville, as a member of the Committee on Local Organization, called a meeting of the Tennessee trade, at Nashville, for August 24th. It was proposed to form a comprehensive State organization.

Shakespeare Bibliography.

(From The Nation.)

J. R. OSGOOD & Co. have in preparation for publishing in the fall "A Bibliography of the Original Quartos and Folios of Shakspere, with particular reference to copies in America," by Jus tin Winsor, Superintendent of the Boston Public Library. This notable work is designed "to provide in a manual what can not now be found in a single volume-a sure means of testing the genuineness and state of copies of the early quarto and folio editions," calling to the aid of the descriptive text the heliotype process of reproduction in facsimile. There will be sixtyeight illustrations of this kind, nearly one half of which will be made directly from originals, most of these being in the famous Barton Collection of the Public Library, but some existing only in England, and being unique even there. As all other modes of facsimile have proved more or less defective (for example, the silver photographic prints made by Mr. Halliwell having faded into illegibility in twenty years), Mr. Winsor will, by way of comparison, give two heliotypes of Harris's very skilful direct hand-wrought facsimiles, and one of Ashbee's lithographic transfers by tracing, The reading matter will consist of the revised and recast bibliographical notes of Mr. Winsor, which have already appeared in his monthly reports, sup plemented by a history of the principal collections of the quartos and folios, and a collation of opinions on the state of the text of these varieties, a review of their commercial valuation, and other interesting data. Two hundred and fifty copies quarto will be printed, after which the plates will be destroyed; and American subscriptions (at $25 each) will be received for only one hundred and fifty, the rest of the edition being reserved for Europe. There is no need of saying that the execution of this Bibliography will be highly creditable to the author and to the institution which he so admirably conducts.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

on favorable terms, it would bring the retail dealer, publisher, and jobber face to face once a year, instead of dealing through traveling salesmen. Publishers and jobbers would very materially increase their sales if they came in contact with their customers personally. We hope to see a fair inaugurated this fall."

A CORRESPONDENT in New-Jersey illustrates the state of trade by the story of a neighbor in the dry-goods business, who offered to take a copy of Sherman's Memoirs at $4, provided he would take it out in trade. The book was being offered at the time around town, at that price. When publishers will give him as good terms as they do to those cut-throats, he hopes for better times.

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BOOKS RECEIVED.

JEAN, by Mrs. Newman. (Harper & Brothers.) Jean" is a young girl who has grown up in the belief that she is poor and friendless. All at once she is claimed by her father, a rich East-Indian merchant, and informed that she is heir to a large fortune. This fortune is the source of great unhappiness to her, as it had long been looked upon by her aunt and cousins as their own. Her advent into the family is the beginning of many conflicts, in which Jean's soul is sorely tried. Jean's character will inspire the strongest interest; it is beautifully depicted in its unfaltering integrity. The story is finely worked up, chaining the reader's attention throughout. 8vo, paper, 50 c.

THE CRIMSON STAR; or, the Midnight Vision, by Mrs. Sarah A. Wright. (Masonic and Miscellaneous Pub. Co.) A romance founded on facts," which occurred just before our late war. The story opens in the South, and finishes amid the romantic scenery of the Hudson. We can not refrain from noticing the peculiar manner in which the volume closes. The authoress says: "Now that our story is ended, we will try and amuse our readers with a series of poems and sketches on different summer resorts;" then follow puffs of hotels, lines of travel, musical instruments, etc., etc., most

into" verse, very much in " Mr. Boffin's" stylewhich is both amusing and instructive. 12mo, cloth, $1.50.

The interests of the trade can not be better served, than by a full discussion by its mem-vividly worked up, with an occasional "falling bers of all questions which affect it. Our columns are always open to communications on any such subject, provided they be brief and suggestive, and we cordially invite the trade to express any suggestions or opinions of interest or value in "Letters to the Editor."

The Book Fair.

ROBERTS & HILLHOUSE, Kalamazoo, Mich., write :

"We are interested in the Book Fair, and would have attended it, had it been at a season

of the year that seemed to warrant heavy pur

chases. If one could be held late in the fall -October, or first of November-you would see how it would draw Western men, providing publishers would make their own terms to dealers. Most booksellers would like to go East for their entire holiday stock, and if they could buy from all the publishers at one place,

HOOSIER MOSAICS, by Maurice Thompson. (E. J. Hale & Son.) A number of short stories, written with a good deal of spirit, and displaying considerable originality. They deal altogether with Western scenes and characters, and are not unlike Bret Harte in style. The volume is uniform with "Little Classics," and is bound very attractively. Cloth, red-edged, $1.25.

JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH, by Simeon W. Harkey, D.D. (Lutheran Board of Pub.) An exposition of the Lutheran doctrine of "justification by faith," intended for general readers. Sq. 12mo, cloth, $1.25.

ELI PERKINS (AT LARGE), by Melville D. Landon. (J. B. Ford & Co.) The witty sayings and doings of Eli and his Uncle Consider form a most entertaining volume. So many of the anecdotes are facts, and related about wellknown men of the city, that the book will be widely sought for. Wall street is done full

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