Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1851-07-12
DAGUERREoTYpE SKETCHES.
The BOOK TRADE 81. .Nrw Yoex

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There is little need Of exngeeratine anything
connected with New York Ciiy. In almost ese- 3
ry department of enterprise the displays are Ell
ther already astounding from their i,nnensty, or
astonishing from the fact that they are evidently
but the exponents of an incalcnlable energy aud
capacity. The Book Trade is hut one Of the
avenues in which New York's money making
genius exhibits its enterprise. Already il virs
with the mother world in the exquisite niceiy rs
its typographical finish. Its anaIs, from tie
presses of Wiley, or Putnam, or Appleton and
Co. or Harper s. Brothers, equal the same class
Of English books ], and if the relative prices Le
considered. the weight preponderates much in
the American scale. The American Gallery of
Portraits in its typography no less than in the
excellence of its portraits is superb.
But | will sketch men rather than books. And
first let US step into "Robert Cart+r's BooG- !
store" II is under the Irving House, and oppo-
site Stewarts beautiful Mercantile Temple
This said Robert Carter was once a keeper of a
small book stand on one of the corners Of this
city. He is Scotchnan. He migrated poor,
but is now man of property il not OF wealth,
and is,the heaviest publisher of religious ssra-,
ure in America. A rheologan cf the Presby-
terian school need only call from Carter's cats-
logue ofbooks of his own publication. You enter
his large store which it must bs confessed looks
rather blank. 1t has not the usual overfiowing
book store look. Aud if you ask why-Perhaps
it may be answered, because his collections are
select, religious. Go not to Carers for Nicholas
Nickleby, or Dombey AMI Sons, or amy novel BY
G. P. r. James Esqr, or for i.anartines Conf
dences. Do not suppose however that the coI-e
lection is small or meagre. On either side, are
sense; and centrally two planes .snclined to- J
ward each other, forming sort of double desk
are the publications issued by himself. The
Mary's and Marthas by Philip, Chalmers Pose
,humous Dscourses, D'Aubgue's History of
The Reformation, Memoirs Of Lowrie, Duncans
Philosophy of the Four seasons, &c. SC: We
will ask for Catalogue aud then call at Hars
pers.
But where we going ? Down Broadway
short distance, then into Spruce, and now into
Ferry Street narrow, short and dirty, lined with
leather stores, and now into Cliff street and
along i. short distance, and if you will now
carefully inspect the brick fronts you may per-
haps see in small capitals the sign "Harper an-
Brotbers"-Oyer Of the doors you will sec
"Saes-room" and over another on The opposite
side of the street "Stereotype Rooms" These
buildings are connected by a sul,-street passage
which is use, as vault for the preservation Of
plates and business documents with whichsiris
stored. The eldest of these Harpers in thes;
days of his hoy hood was printers apprentice
and lived in New York. Four years since ne :
was Mayor of the city and with his brothers
now owns and conducts the largest puhiIsfiiDgS
establishment America has ever seem. The jnsr-
auence of the Harpers in ibe book trade is ire.
sstibIe, ani is dreaded by the smaller capital
lists towards whom they are sometimes charged !
with being oppressive. Let me instance The pnbIi-
cation of Macaulay's History Of England. Pub
lie expectation had been highly wrought upon
by the announcement Of The work in England,
and America was eager to read il SIN their own
tongues The fIarpers announced forth-
coming edition simultaneously with similar nos.
,ice from one Of the Boston presses 70 v wh'es ths
|or,hosraphy would he made to conform 70 th&
Websterian standard. Both appeared. The
Boston edition was fair, fifay cents q volume.
This was more than the working Yankee wostlk ]
willingly pay Aud IN the course Of fortnight
there was issued from Ph,Iudelphia NJ ssli,ion
Tor twenty five cenis volume. Our Bsdt5e!
were now fairly competed with bosh jsl lhs
and Sou,b. The competitisu would bly-
|effec, their sales. Three days hsal
sed before 10 = there svasaesl = esI5sl6