On the Economy of Machinery and Manufactures, Charles Babbage [classic romance novels .TXT] 📗

>and in some instances even at a still smaller percentage, instead

of that of twentyfive per cent on the published prices. Thirdly,

that they are unable to maintain this rate of profit except by a

combination, the object of which is to put down all competition.

 

396. Some time ago a small number of the large London

booksellers entered into such a combination. One of their objects

was to prevent any bookseller from selling books for less than

ten per cent under the published prices; and in order to enforce

this principle, they refuse to sell books, except at the

publishing price, to any bookseller who declines signing an

agreement to that effect. By degrees, many were prevailed upon to

join this combination; and the effect of the exclusion it

inflicted, left the small capitalist no option between signing or

having his business destroyed. Ultimately, nearly the whole

trade, comprising about two thousand four hundred persons, have

been compelled to sign the agreement.

 

As might be naturally expected from a compact so injurious to

many of the parties to it, disputes have arisen; several

booksellers have been placed under the ban of the combination,

who allege that they have not violated its rules, and who accuse

the opposite party of using spies, etc., to entrap them.(3*)

 

397. The origin of this combination has been explained by Mr

Pickering, of Chancery Lane, himself a publisher, in a printed

statement, entitled, ‘Booksellers’ Monopoly’ and the following

list of booksellers, who form the committee for conducting this

combination, is copied from that printed at the head of each of

the cases published by Mr Pickering:

 

Allen, J., 7, Leadenhall Street.

Arch, J., 61, Cornhill.

Baldwin, R., 47, Paternoster Row.

Booth, J.

Duncan, J., 37, Paternoster Row.

Hatchard, J., Piccadilly.

Marshall, R., Stationers’ Court.

Murray, J., Albemarle Street.

Rees, O., 39, Paternoster Row.

Richardson, J. M., 23, Cornhill.

Rivington, J., St. Paul’s Churchyard.

Wilson, E., Royal Exchange.

 

398. In whatever manner the profits are divided between the

publisher and the retail bookseller, the fact remains, that the

reader pays for the volume in his hands 6s., and that the author

will receive only 3s. 10d.; out of which latter sum, the expense

of printing the volume must be paid: so that in passing through

two hands this book has produced a profit of forty-four per cent.

This excessive rate of profit has drawn into the book trade a

larger share of capital than was really advantageous; and the

competition between the different portions of that capital has

naturally led to the system of underselling, to which the

committee above mentioned are endeavouring to put a stop.(4*)

 

399. There are two parties who chiefly suffer from this

combination, the public and authors. The first party can seldom be

induced to take an active part against any grievance; and in fact

little is required from it, except a cordial support of the

authors, in any attempt to destroy a combination so injurious to

the interests of both.

 

Many an industrious bookseller would be glad to sell for 5s.

the volume which the reader holds in his hand, and for which he

has paid 6s.; and, in doing so for ready money, the tradesman who

paid 4s. 6d. for the book, would realize, without the least risk,

a profit of eleven per cent on the money he had advanced. It is

one of the objects of the combination we are discussing, to

prevent the small capitalist from employing his capital at that

rate of profit which he thinks most advantageous to himself; and

such a proceeding is decidedly injurious to the public.

 

400. Having derived little pecuniary advantage from my own

literary productions; and being aware, that from the very nature

of their subjects, they can scarcely be expected to reimburse the

expense of preparing them, I may be permitted to offer an opinion

upon the subject, which I believe to be as little influenced by

any expectation of advantage from the future, as it is by any

disappointment at the past.

 

Before, however, we proceed to sketch the plan of a campaign

against Paternoster Row, it will be fit to inform the reader of

the nature of the enemies’ forces, and of his means of attack and

defence. Several of the great publishers find it convenient to be

the proprietors of reviews, magazines, journals, and even of

newspapers. The editors are paid, in some instances very

handsomely, for their superintendence; and it is scarcely to be

expected that they should always mete out the severest justice on

works by the sale of which their employers are enriched. The

great and popular works of the day are, of course, reviewed with

some care, and with deference to public opinion. Without this,

the journals would not sell; and it is convenient to be able to

quote such articles as instances of impartiality. Under shelter

of this, a host of ephemeral productions are written into a

transitory popularity; and by the aid of this process, the

shelves of the booksellers, as well as the pockets of the public,

are disencumbered. To such an extent are these means employed,

that some of the periodical publications of the day ought to be

regarded merely as advertising machines. That the reader may be

in some measure on his guard against such modes of influencing

his judgement, he should examine whether the work reviewed is

published by the bookseller who is the proprietor of the review;

a fact which can sometimes be ascertained from the title of the

book as given at the head of the article. But this is by no means

a certain criterion, because partnerships in various publications

exist between houses in the book trade, which are not generally

known to the public; so that, in fact, until reviews are

established in which booksellers have no interest, they can never

be safely trusted.

 

401. In order to put down the combination of booksellers, no

plan appears so likely to succeed as a counter-association of

authors. If any considerable portion of the literary world were

to unite and form such an association; and if its affairs were

directed by an active committee, much might be accomplished. The

objects of such an union should be, to employ some person well

skilled in the printing, and in the bookselling trade; and to

establish him in some central situation as their agent. Each

member of the association to be at liberty to place any, or all

of his works in the hands of this agent for sale; to allow any

advertisements, or list of books published by members of the

association, to be stitched up at the end of each of his own

productions; the expense of preparing them being defrayed by the

proprietors of the books advertised.

 

The duties of the agent would be to retail to the public, for

ready money, copies of books published by members of the

association. To sell to the trade, at prices agreed upon, any

copies they may require. To cause to be inserted in the journals,

or at the end of works published by members, any advertisements

which the committee or authors may direct. To prepare a general

catalogue of the works of members. To be the agent for any member

of the association respecting the printing of any work.

 

Such a union would naturally present other advantages; and as

each author would retain the liberty of putting any price he

might think fit on his productions, the public would have the

advantage of reduction in price produced by competition between

authors on the same subject, as well as of that arising from a

cheaper mode of publishing the volumes sold to them.

 

402. Possibly, one of the consequences resulting from such an

association, would be the establishment of a good and an

impartial review, a work the want of which has been felt for

several years. The two long-established and celebrated reviews,

the unbending champions of the most opposite political opinions.

are, from widely differing causes, exhibiting unequivocal signs

of decrepitude and decay. The quarterly advocate of despotic

principles is fast receding from the advancing intelligence of

the age; the new strength and new position which that

intelligence has acquired, demands for its expression, new

organs, equally the representatives of its intellectual power,

and of its moral energies: whilst, on the other hand, the sceptre

of the northern critics has passed, from the vigorous grasp of

those who established its dominion, into feebler hands.

 

403. It may be stated as a difficulty in realizing this

suggestion, that those most competent to supply periodical

criticism, are already engaged. But it is to be observed, that

there are many who now supply literary criticisms to journals,

the political principles of which they disapprove; and that if

once a respectable and well-supported review(5*) were

established, capable of competing, in payment to its

contributors, with the wealthiest of its rivals, it would very

soon be supplied with the best materials the country can produce.

(6*) It may also be apprehended that such a combination of

authors would be favourable to each other. There are two

temptations to which an editor of a review is commonly exposed:

the first is, a tendency to consult too much, in the works he

criticizes, the interest of the proprietor of his review; the

second, a similar inclination to consult the interests of his

friends. The plan which has been proposed removes one of these

temptations, but it would be very difficult, if not impossible,

to destroy the other.

 

NOTES:

 

1. The whole of the subsequent details relate to the first

edition of this work.

 

2. These details vary with different books and different

publishers; those given in the text are believed to substantially

correct, and are applicable to works like the present.

 

3. It is now understood that the use of spies has been given up;

and it is also known that the system of underselling is again

privately resorted to by many, so that the injury arising from

this arbitrary system, pursued by the great booksellers, affects

only, or most severely, those whose adherence to an extorted

promise most deserves respect. Note to the second edition.

 

4 The monopoly cases. Nos. 1. 2. and 3. of those published by Mr

Pickering, should be consulted upon this point; and, as the

public will be better able to form a judgement by hearing the

other side of the question, it is to be hoped the Chairman of the

Committee (Mr Richardson) will publish those regulations

respecting the trade, a copy of which. Mr Pickering states, is

refused by the Committee even to those who sign them.

 

5. At the moment when this opinion as to the necessity for a new

review was passing through the press. I was informed that the

elements of such an undertaking were already organized.

 

6. I have been suggested to me, that the doctrines maintained in

this chapter may subject the present volume to the opposition of

that combination which it has opposed. I do not entertain that

opinion; and for this reason, that the booksellers are too shrewd

a class to supply such an admirable passport to publicity as

their opposition would prove to be if generally suspected. But

should my readers take a different view of the question, they can

easily assist in remedying the evil, by each mentioning the

existence of this little volume to two of his friends.

 

{I was wrong in this conjecture; all booksellers are not so

shrewd as I had imagined, for some did refuse to sell this

volume; consequently others sold a larger number of copies.

 

In the preface to the second edition, at the commencement of

this volume, the reader will find some further observation on the

effect of the booksellers’ combination.}