The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-08-23

coin q Edmos de- for thirty five yeas. sod the pre-
seLt pcpetors for more thaa twenty years.
The htuse If flckoor 4 Fields Is distinguished
for IT, Issues Of polite lite sture from Ana rican AID
Er R)sh rms. Cfosb Nichols h c.. publish mis-
CellsDfs us works, and macy religious books OF the
UrItsI ian deDomiDaticp. They also publish three
sIcan Kfv,fw. the Christian E1a~viner, and tue
Low Reporter. J. Munroe & CO. publish classical,
iuvt le aUo miscelisDe' us works. The ne hou e
Of John p JeWett Co. Is one Of mark. for having
issueo book that bad the widest sale, e frat
year, OF any that was ever published In The world;
op6 the =" Lampghter" thus far, has sold next TO
"UDcle T,m,n or 65. 900 copies In fve mont rs.
This house has Issued the important theological
cesIsou literature. jerks, Hicklpg Swan are
our largest publishers Of school books. B. B. Mus
sey & Co, William j. Reynolds & Co.. and other
houses. publish many miscellaneous works and do .
very large jobbiDg BUSH ere.
There were 1879 boz ksellers and 81 publishers In
MASSACHUSETTS,, according TO tbs las. census In New
Yok there were 444 booksellers and lSS publishers,
81 d in Peppeylva6ix 402 OF the first aud " Of the
last. Most Of the publishing, and the largest mum
Der Of be bookteliels centre in the three great ci
t<s of these Sta es Boston, New York aud Philadel
phia, which ave she leading publishing cities Of the
coui try. New York has the m st capital in the bu-
sine 'a and Boston is second We think as to csoital
invested IN the publishing business, though Phiar
delphia sellf, no dcabt, the most books.
In matter more important than the amount OF
capital, or the mere number Of books cold, Boston
stsDds uDrisslled In this country, namely. in the
cs ar.cter Ct TIE books published. It Is no vain
Boosting to cay, that tina city publishes the best
standard American and English works that csme
works publsh.df In Boston. Where were Ban.
crcit'e History. and the works of Longfullow,
araks. ard Hawih'rDe, publisher In Boeton.
Who issues the great theological and exegeticA
works tf Woods, Stuart, Robinson aud Beecher1
Boston houses. What city sen TO tn the most
learned the most eloquent the most read books,
an those that will live the longest Certain y,
every taDdid ptrs0n, either south or north ii Ma
s0n'E ard DiKan's line, either in Philadelphia, or
New York, will say Boston.
ape, then, Where arc tie PRINCIPAL great authors
or the United States DO they not live in Boston
and Vi unity Was not their education derived in
cur schools and colleges9 Prescott, Webster,
Woes, Stuart, f.orgfellow, Story, GrceuIsaf, Haw
tbr me and 0thers--arc they not among us1 Were
The! Dot 'he growth Of this soil II And we DO not
forget that Willis, Bryant, the Abbotts, aud other
Authors who now reside elsewhere, we 9 New Eng.
laDc boiD, and here laid tho foundations Of their
emnt nee.
We may say, then, in sober truth, that Boston is
the first city in America as publishing city, if we
consider the msio points that 90 to mako City first
ID this department OF business, viz the character of
the works publsle d. and the character of their au-
thors And We have before shown that Boston was
half century earlier in the publishing business than
any other place in America, and that books have
been published here that have been the most sold and
read. We yield then to New York only the lower
praise Of having the most dollars and cents invested
in the business, and the largest number of book
sellers. interested parties may sheer when Boston
is termed the Athens Of America, but all candid
men must acknowledge that the appclstion is not
inappropriate whether it is wise to use it, or not.
AS city for literary influence, Boston stands l.
rivelled, though it has successful commercial
rival.
In Great Britain, France and Germany the book
and public hing business Is vast, and in this count
it is coming to be immense, also. Great Britain
gives to tie world more than four thousand new
books or editions annually; while France publishes
from six to eight thousand. Norton estimates, that
from July, 1850, to the same month In 1851, there
were twelve hundred and ninety eighth books
pnbiishe in this country. And the Issues arc IA.
pidly increasing from year to year. Boston alone
must publish hundreds Of now books ca year.
bot LIS published in other parts OF the country IS
ton books are not only OF high character but they
are extensively sold and read. According to H. G.
Cary. Webstei's works had sold to the number of
sale Of Judge Story's books, that the copyright
yielded IS 900 yeGry 1t is supposed that Nc. Pres
COTS works had been sold TO tho number OF $780,,
volumes, and OF i'ancrofts History $4,000 volumes
"a sale for such work entirely unprecedented.
The woi hs oil Lopgsellow. HaTthornc, and several
others, have solo very extensively.
1t Is not often that We bear Of authors fortunate
us the late Mr.. Just'ce Story. SILL men who have
conc 20 be well to do in the world 10y their writings
arc ntt uncommon either side OF the water. That
pub ishcrs and booksellers not unfrcQuent,y become
wealthy Is wei known. In this city alone, the
names Of two retired booksellers, lately deceased,
VII occur to most readers, who laid tho foundations
OF their large fortunes in this business. Others
who hare retired have been quite independent. II
is rot ccssary to say that have at tue present
time, booksellers who arc quite able TO retire on
wealthy Independence. That the business is profit
able and is TO be more so, seems quite aorarent.
We hear Of numerous failures this year. bat have
yet to hear Of the failure Of single book nerchaot
For years these men, as a class, have been most
prompt to pay their notes, ard TO meet all their
financial engagements.