The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-11-19
LONDON. October %. 1867.

GUS question not many years ago.
Many of your readers will remember
the sheer of that witty prelate of the
English Church. Were he now liv-
ing he could put the antithesis and
ask " Who does not read American
books?" ?
I desire the readers of the Journal
to stroll leisurely with me to-day
along some of the boOk-stalls of this
great Babylon. We will not enter
one Of the shops, but we will only
glance at the volumes exposed for
sale in the windows, with our eyes
open for American authors. Here is
a short street, about twenty rods in
leDgth-not Paternaster Row, the re-
nowned publishing street of the me
tropolis-but a narrow alley running
parallel with the Strand. not far from
Temple Bar, but very near Somerset
House. Grub Lane is close by, and
other places where 1t would be de-
lightful to linger to recall historic
scenes; but we have special object
in view = to see the books. The
houses along this short and narrow
alley are dingy and dusty The shops
are dark and dirty, piled with literary
lore-old and new books, second hand
and frst-haud, antiquarian and mod
ern. We are not seeking for books
printed in the United States, but vol
umes issued here, printed from Lon
don types, by London publishers for
their Own benefit, without regard to
the authors.
WHAT WORKS ARE HERE.
Our eye first falls on the works of
Rev. Albert Barnes-his Notes on
the Gospels, the New Testament and
Isaiah. There are several editions,
one edited by Rev. John Cumming,
with commendatory note, setting
forth the great value of the work.
There is another smaller edition is
sued at lower price, to bring it with
in reach of the masses. A few weeks
since / passed q night at Bedford,
where John Bunyan dreamed, and
became immortal. / was Hospitality
entertained by q gentleman who took
down from his library shelves Barnes
Notes, and enlarged upon their value
as a commentary. l have seen the
work in book stores Of Scotland and
Ireland, as well as in England. There
has been an extensive sale, but / dare
say this author never has received
anything from the English publishers.
Upon the same shelf is DR.. Todd's
,Student's Manual, written by the ven
cradle and vigorous pastor of the
first church in Pittsfeld, Massachu-
sets. There are two editions, one
priced at four shillings and the other
at one shilling. wonder if a penny
has ever found its way from the
shores of Old England to the hills of
Berkshire to gladden. the eyes of the
good doctor?
In this same stall are Anthon's
school books, all Of them commended
as the best series of text books be-
fore the public. Whether they have
found their way into the English
schools l cannot say, but here they
are.
The next attracting our attention
processes to be a joint international
concern. We read the title" Walker
and Webster" Opening it we find
much more of Webster than of Walk
er, but without any Acknowledgements
of the great services of the American
lexigrapher. England does not quite
like to acknowledge that their own
lexicons are inferior to those of
~ kuOh nOl ilON UlduN Gul-
tions there are of Walker and Web !
ster. l have seen five, issued by diff 4
ferent publishers, who are willing to |
enter without scruple into the labors |
Of Webster, depriving him of his just !
fame, and poeketing all the pounds !
possible from the sale of his work, |
without any. remuneration to him.
We-pass to another stall, and see, |
in brown and gold, Motley's Dutch |
Republic, published by Routledge-
standard authority in England and |
America and on the continent -
which has had and is now having a |
steady sale. How much has Mr.. |
Motley received from the English |
public for the entertainment, instruc- |
ton and profit he has given them? |
Comparatively nothing. ne - 4
He has excellent company, for on
the same shelf is a new edition In |
green and gold of Emerson's works,
two volumes, published by Bell & |
Daldy-fye shillings the price. The |
edition bears date 1866 Here are
COoper's novels, sixpenny editions,
which you may find at nearly every
railway book stall In Great Britain.
and also library editionin calf and |
gold. .st.5 r...
On the same shelf is Primes Five
Years OF Prayer" and under our
hands a pile of Beadle's : Dime
Novels issued at sixpence, by Rout-
ledge. A. little further along is shil-
ling edition ofSaxe's poems and Eliza !
beth Wetherell's books, Queechy."
the Wide, Wide World, and all |
the others. Now we come to a gen !
eral ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Haw-
thorne, Mrs. Stowe. Irving, Lowell, /
A -oe-,z DvoeaOk4 RopCwafe c..