GEORGE B. REED, Boston. Practice and Pleading in Personal Actions in the Courts of Massachusetts, with Notes and Decisions on the Practice Act, and a Selection of Forms. By H. F. Buswell and C. H. Walcott, of the Suffolk Bar. 8°, pp. 475. $6.50. Index or Summary Digest of Vols. 108 to 11 inclusive, and Vols. 115, 116, and 117 Massachusetts Reports, on a uniform plan with the "Massachusetts Digest. By Charles U. Bell, of the Essex Bar. (Jan.) Calendar of the Supreme, Superior, District, and Probate Courts of the Commonwealth, giving the Times and Places of Holding the Courts, the Return Days, and List of Sheriffs and their Deputies in each County. 50 c. (Jan.) Practice and Jurisdiction of the Probate Courts in Massachusetts. By the Hon. George F. Choate, Judge of Probate for the County of Essex, A Manual of Forms and Procedure for Notaries Public, Justices of the Peace, Constables, Coroners, etc. By a Member of the Essex Bar. ALPHABETICAL REFERENCE LIST OF BOOKS RECORDED IN OCTOBER. The figures in () refer to the (whole) number of the "PUBLISHERS' WEEKLY" in which the full title has been recorded under the word preceding the figure. The more prominent works appear in this list, both under author and title or subject, with reference from the latter to the former. Abbott, E. (196), Concordance to Pope's Works, $4. Appleton. Dodd & M. Abbott, J. S. C. (194), Christopher Columbus, $1.50. Abode of Snow. See Wilson, A. Adams, C. F. (194), Address at Amherst Coll., pap., 25 c. Aldrich, M. A. (196), U. S. Marine Corps, $3.50. Van Nostrand. Alpine Lyrics. See Schweizer, M. H. Butterworth, H. (197), Story of the Hymns, $2. Am. Tract Soc. Catskill Fairies. See Johnson, V. W. Charcoal Burners, Handb. for. See Svedelius, G. Charley Laurel. See Kingston, W. H. G. ..Carleton. Nat. Temp. Soc. Am. Tract Soc. Chester, S. E. (198), Proud Little Dody, $1.25. Christophers, S. W. (194), Epworth Singers, $3. Church History. See Kurtz, H. Randolph. Climate and Diseases of America. Climate and Time. See Croll, J. Coal-Mining. See André, G. G. See Schoepff, J. D. .... Gill Peterson. Croll, J. (196), Climate and Time, $2.50..... Appleton. Day after the Holidays. See Hope, A. R. ..Spon. Dick & F Doe, C. H. (194), Buffets, $1.25 ; pap., 75 c.............. Osgood. Duncan's (194) Rituale der Freimaurerei, $2... Dick & F. Easy (198) Reading for Little Folks, 40 c ........ ..Lothrop. Edwards, A. (195), Leah, $1.75; pap., $1......Sheldon. Eggleston, E. (198), The Big Brother, $1.50... Putnam. Elections, Law of. See McCrary, G. N. Elsie's Santa Claus. See Mathews, J. H. Emerson, G. B. (198), Trees and Shrubs of Mass., 2 v., $12 and $20.... ...Little, B. & Co. Engelbach, A. H. (197), Two Campaigns, $1.50. Pott, Y. & Co. Epworth Singers. See Christophers, S. W. Burr, E. F. (195), Toward the Strait Gate, $2.50. Fenner, C. S. (197), Vision, $3.50......, ..Lindsay & B. Fleming, M. A. (196), Norine's Revenge, etc., $1.75. Carleton. Fogg, W. P. (198), Arabistan, $4.50..... Dustin, G. & Co. Giberne, A. (194), Coulyng Castle, $1.50.........Carter. Gilder, R. W. (196), The New Day, $1.50...... Scribner. Gladstone, G. (198), Stick to the Raft, 60 c.....Lothrop. Goethe's (197) Faust, tr. by Bayard Taylor, Kennett ed., 2 v., $5. Osgood. Golden Tress. See Boisgobey, F. Goldsmith, O. (195), Poems, ed. by W. J. Rolfe, go c. Goodell, W. See Prime, E. D. G. Harper. ........ Spon. Putnam. Government, Civil. See Townsend, C. Grace and Truth. See Mackay, W. P. Grandpa's (198) Darlings, by Pansy, $1.25......Lothrop. Am. S. S. Un. Halliday, S. B. (196), Little Street Sweeper, $1.25.. Ford. Hanover, M. D. (197), Law of Horses, new ed., shp., $4. Clarke Harte, B. (197), Tales of the Argonauts, etc., $1.50. Osgood. Hartley, I. S. (197), Prayer and its Relation to Modern Thought, $1.25. ...Ref. Ch. Bd. of Pub. Hawthorne, N. (195), Works, new Pop. ed., v. 1 ;-(198) Same, v. 2, ea., $1.25... Osgood. Iron (196) and Steel Inst., Journal of (1875), pap., $3.75. Spon. Iveson's (196) Horse-Power Diagram, $4.25...... Spon. Jesus, Mind and Words of. See Macduff, J. R. Johnson, G. (198), Roll-Call, etc., $1.50.. .Lippincott. Josh (198) Billings' Alminax, 1876, pap., 25 c.... Carleton. Jowett, B. See Plato. Katsch, A. E. (195), Under the Stork's Nest, $1.25. Key (198) of Life Library, 4 v., $3.60.. Kick Him Down Hill. See Smith, M. M. Lewis, T. (198), Nature and the Scriptures (corr. price), $1.25.. .....Ref. Ch. Bd. of Pub. Library (194) Atlas, ed. by J. Boyce, W. F. Collier, and L. Schmitz, $14... ........ Light and Dark Christmas. See Wood, H. Lothrop. Macbeth, J. W. V. (195), Might and Mirth of Literature, $2.50.. .Harper. 50 C. McCrary, G. W. (196), Law of Elections, $5... .Myers. Marshall, E. (195), Three Little Brothers, 75 c..Lothrop. Carter. .Roberts. Mathews, J. H. (197), Elsie's Santa Claus, $1.25. Carter. Napoleon Bonaparte. See Arnault and Panckonke. Nervous System, Diseases of. See Bauduy, J. K. New-York (198), McMaster's Business Corporations, new — (196) Wait's Practice at Law in Equity, v. 6, $7.50. I Gould. Nine Little Goslings. See Coolidge, S. King, K. (198), Hugh Melton, pap., 25 c.. (198) Three Commanders, $2.50.... .Pott, Y. & Co. Pansy. See Cunning and also Grandpa. Parliamentary Law. See Mackey, A. G. Payne, A. M. M. (195), The Odd One, $1.25......Carter. Pennsylvania, Names of Immigrants in. See Rupp, Stockton, F. R. (194), Roundabout Rambles, new ed., $2. . I. D. Scribner. Stoddard, R. H. See Bric-à-Brac, and also Treasure Trove. ..Bell. Sunshine (194) for Babyland, bds., $1.25........Lothrop. Ivison. See Harte, B. Harper. Tennyson, A. (195), Poems, Ill. Globe ed., $1.75. Osgood. Testimony of the Rocks. See Miller, H. ea., $2.. Porter, L. B. (195), Caring for No Man, pap., 75 c....Gill. Porter, R. (197), Years that are Told, $1.25 ... Randolph. Portugal, Travels in. See Latouche, J. Prayer and its Relation to Modern Thought. See Hartley, I. S. Prime, E. D. G. (195), Memoirs of Rev. W. Goodell, $2.50. Carter. Taylor, B. (198), Home Pastorals, etc., $2........Osgood. See also Goethe. Proud Little Dody. See Chester, S. E. tallurgy, $1.50.... Putnam. .Harper. Queen (198) of Connaught, pap., 50 c........... Queer (A) Carriage, etc. See Loring, L. Quotations, Prose. See Allibone, S. A. Reade, C. (194), Novels, Ill. Lib. Ed., v. 2;-(195) Same, v. 3;-(196) Same, v. 4;-(197) Same, v. 5 ;-(198) Same, v. 6, ea., $1.50.... Osgood. Reed, J. J. (198), Sabbath-School Scrap-Book, $1.50. Tibbals. Reemelin, C. (195), Politics as a Science, $1.50... Clarke. Reformation, Hist. of. See Aubigné, J. H. M. d'. Rice, J. M., and W. W. Johnson (197), New Method of Obtaining the Differentials of Functions, new ed., pap., Van Nostrand. 50 c... Rifle Practice. See Wingate, G. W. Riverside Farmhouse. See Miller, M. E. Rolfe, W. J. See Goldsmith, O. Roll-Call, etc. See Johnson, G. Rome, Hist. of. See Merivale, C. Roundabout Rambles. See Stockton, F. R. Rupp, I. D. (194), Names of Immigrants in Penna., new ed., $2.50; $3.... Sacred (198) Songs for Social Worship, 50 c.; 75 c. Sangster, M. E. (194), Splendid Times, $1. Kohler. Goodrich. Salvation by Christ. See Wayland, F. Sang, E. (196), Progr. Lessons in Applied Science, pts. I and 2, ea., $1.25. Spon. Am. Tract. Soc. Schoepff, J. D. (194), Climate and Diseases of America, bds., 30 c Hurd & H Schweizer, M. H. (194), Alpine Lyrics, 90 c... Randolph. Scott (194), Waverley Novels, Ill. Melrose Ed., v. 2;(195) Same, v. 3;-(196) Same, v. 4 ;-(197) Same, v. 5; (198) Same, v. 6, ea., $2.... ...Osgood. Scripture Geography, Handb. of. See Thompson, C. - Speculations. See Stevens, H. R. Selected Poems (194), Tennyson's Enoch Arden;-(195) Aytoun's Execution of Montrose, etc. ;-Burns' Death and Dr. Hornbook, etc., ea., pap., 10 c. . Tompkins. Sexton, M. J. (196), Pocket-Book for Boiler-Makers, etc., roan, $2.. Ship in the Desert. See Miller, J. Theodora. See McKeen, P. F. Thomas, D. (198), The Homilist, $2... Osgood. Tibbals. Thompson, C. (195), Scripture Geography, 75 c.Putnam. Treasure Trove (194), ed. by R. H. Stoddard, comp. by W. S. Walsh :-Travesty, $1. ...Gill. Trees and Shrubs of Mass. See Emerson, G. B. Trowbridge, J. T. (198), Young Surveyor, $1.50. Osgood. Turner, J. A. (198), On Punctuation, 75 c....Lippincott. Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea. See Verne, J. Two Campaigns. See Engelbach, A. H. Tytler, A. F. (198), Leila Series, 3 v., ea., $1.25. Snow-Bound. See Vest-Pocket Series. Sheldon. Osgood. Webster, D. See Banvard, J. Weights, Measures, etc. See Clarke, F. W. Wayland, F. (195), Salvation by Christ, $1.50..Lothrop. Wayside Pencillings. See Moriarty, J. J. Westcott, B. F. (198), Introd. to Study of Gospels, new ed.. $3.50.... Macmillan. Whittier, J. G. (198), Mabel Martin, $5; mor., $10. Osgood. The Cost and Prices of Books. IN a recent issue of the New-York Observer appeared a paragraph, based on an editorial article in the Chicago Tribune, as follows: A book that sold before the war for $1.25 now brings $1.75 and $2. Publishers' discounts to jobbers and retailers have not changed. They range from 33% to 42 per cent. The retailer can sell from 20 to 30 per cent below the rates asked, and still make a living profit. He is forbidden to do so, however, by the trade union to which the leading publishers belong. The result of this is that literary men are buying as few American books as possible, and are filling their shelves from foreign markets. Public libraries are doing the same thing. It is next to an impossibility to regulate trade by combination. Competition is the life of business, and in the long run steady perseverance in doing the fair thing wins success. We will not be so discourteous as to begin a game of "tit for tat" by asking the Observer how it is that it has raised its rates during the same time from $2.50 to $3 and postage, an advance of at least 20 per cent, or calling names at the Chicago daily, because the daily papers generally have doubled their selling prices and trebled their advertising rates, though this goes far ahead of any of the "outrages" of the book trade. Every journalist who knows any thing of the business side of his newspaper, knows that there is good reason for this, and moreover, that it is probably earning less returns on the investment than under the old rates. A candid journalist will see that most of the causes which have compelled this advance among the newspapers operate also in the book trade, and that it is decidedly a question of throwing stones from glass houses. We are now collecting, from various publishing houses of experience, actual facts as a basis for several careful articles on the cost and price of books, for which we shall ask the especial attention of the trade, and a fair hearing from all interested in books. We shall not therefore enter now into the question at length. But it should be said that the statements on which the conclusion quoted above is based are quite mistaken. The writer erred either from thoughtlessness or ignorance. As to the cost of books-paper is about the same as before the war; other materials, labor (which is a very large element), rent, clerk hire and other office expenses, advertising and distributing, and the actual copyright to author per volume, are from 50 to 200 per cent higher. Moreover, the price of books never advanced proportionately with the price of many of the materials. Where books are now especially high in retail prices, as in the case of some juveniles, it is chiefly because of the evil the reform is trying to cure; the public appetite for discounts has caused prices to be made high enough to cover the discounts. Now that retail prices are becoming the rule, this will cure itself by a wholesome competition; the public will have the good sense to weigh a book by its worth, and let exorbitant ones alone, and we hear that the Philadelphia trade has lately refused to buy a line of juveniles, though large discounts were offered, because the retail prices are too high. We agree with the Observer that this competition is the life of trade, and the reform is promoting this kind of competition. These critics seem, however, to have overlooked the fact that the fall in paper has been allowed for by many publishers, who put a book at $1.50 now, when some time since it would have been $1.75. Those who say that a bookstore can live at 15 per cent are simply ignorant of the facts. In most cases, where a bookseller knows how to calculate his expenses, and includes therein his great depreciation of stock, this does not more than or quite cover expenses. As to the exodus of library orders to England, we do not find facts bearing out the theory. In truth, foreign books are much higher even than American copyright books, while our "pirated" editions are incomparably cheaper. But of all this we shall write more in detail hereafter. THE Western rates of jobbing have been broken into by a new scale issued by the Chicago jobbers, several per cent lower than that of the "Western Booksellers' Association." We do not know whether this step was taken under such notification as fulfilled the provisions or the courtesies of the association, but we trust so. The reason put forward is that Chicago is not doing that town's share of the Western business to which its position entitles it. The Chicago idea is evidently that the jobbers of smaller centres can not afford to do business at five per cent-and, undoubtedly, they can not; indeed, we do not see that the largest houses can safely do business on this margin, except they have some other business to cover rent and store expenses for a jobbing department, and do the bad book-keeping of throwing these items out from the jobbing accounts. Under this competition, the smaller jobbers will be in a dilemma; they must either stick to what local business they can get at living rates, which is the soundest policy, or meet the Chicago rates, and ultimately go under as jobbers, unless Chicago jobbers overestimate their staying power, and should go under first. The step does not seem to us very wise at the best. This break-down does not directly touch the reform, for we' have always pointed out that the function and commission of jobbers is based simply on the question of service to the publisher on the one hand, and to the retailer on the other, and was not therefore a question much involved in the general trade organization. But we had hoped the reform had taught the trade the unwisdom of doing any kind of business on such insufficient margins. The publishers have been appealed to by the smaller Western jobbers; the question, as it comes before them, is chiefly a matter of business relations and caution: whether it is wise to centralize business so completely as Chicago would like-in other words, to put all the eggs in one basket-and whether such low margins in selling goods justify confidence in giving large lines of credit and "bottom prices." The record of Lee & Shepard has called especial attention to this point. THE Boston house, we are glad to state, has resumed; that is, the Bankruptcy Court places entire confidence in the integrity of Messrs. Lee & Shepard, and permits them to carry on their business for the benefit of their creditors, which, it seems to us, is the most satisfactory arrangement possible. The house hopes now to effect a composition with its creditors at 25 per cent, and to be out of bankruptcy again by December 1st. The explanation of its unfortunate showing, and the misapprehension of its real condition by the partners, seems to be that it failed to allow for the depreciation of stereotype plates-in which there are too many in the trade who couldn't throw the first stone with a very good grace—and did not count in among expenses the terrible interest account running dead against it, caused partly by the fire misfortunes, but still more by doing too large a business for the real capital, and having thus to pay exorbitant amounts for more when it came to a tight place. The trade can, we hope, afford to condone this mistake, although it pays dear; the lesson has been a good one to the trade at large, and the partners are active and valuable men, especially in the distributing trade, who are not likely to make this mistake again. We call especial attention to their announcement in another column. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR. The interests of the trade can not be better served, than by a full discussion by its members 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." How Much to Expect of Booksellers. To the Editor of the Publishers' Weekly: Your correspondent of Oct. 16th, "Subscriber," is, however, a good type of a class of people who expect from booksellers and booksellers' clerks a knowledge of the whole range of literature, which is seldom possessed by close students. If he went into a bookseller's shop, and asked simply for the "Summa" of St. Thomas Aquinas, as he seems to have done, he did not deserve to get it, and was moreover guilty of a piece of piggishness. He might have asked a great many clergymen (not Roman Catholics) about the "Summa" without getting intelligent answers. I don't think that even among the "intelligent" publishers there are many well enough up in scholastic theology to know any thing at all about the "Summa. I New-York, or even in London, separate from fancy that it is by no means a common book in the complete works of St. Thomas. It is not translated, I believe, into English, and could be readily obtained only upon the continent of Europe. It often happens that a man who is reading up some obscure subject (or even some science) expects to find clerks in bookstores as familiar with the literature he is reading in as he is himtakes up astrology or alchemy, he must not go self. This is to expect too much. If any one into his bookseller and casually ask for "Lilly" or "Albertus Magnus," of whose existence perhaps he himself has only just become aware. A bookseller's clerk should be familiar with the current literature of his native tongue, and is inexcusable if he does not know all the books in his employer's shop; but to expect the knowledge of a Plato combined with the tact of a Chesterfield is too much. Such acquirements are too valuable for so unproductive a business. A grocer is expected to know only the kinds of sugar in actual use. No one finds fault with a grocer's clerk who is ignorant of those other sugars which are familiar only to the chemist. The real truth is that all parties have been |