The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-02-08
ENGLISH LITERATURE OF 1873.
The Book Makers and Readers OF
Britain.

LONDON, Jan. IL, 1874.
Nearly five thousand volumes of new books,
new editions and American importations have
been published in England during 1878. or this
number 3,463 Volumes were new publications.
Nearly 5000 books in one year Is a great number.
The English Publishers Circular says
When we remember the adage that great book
Is great evil we may presume that great many
books can hardly be less one But, as the wise
or his Proverbs, "that OF making books there IS
no end" we must be content to chronicle
every year an increase Ii We multiply our 1891
books by 300 which is very small average for
each edition, we shall find that there Is an i'm.
mense supply OF books for the reading public, and
that the varied tastes OF that public, which every
year increases In numbers, and, let US hope, in
spite OF the critics, IN taste, is not inchned 10
ducing all the books in the world to the number OF
5000 which ne thought liberal supply. The elder
Disraeli tells us that the four ages OF typography
ending IN the beginning Of the nineteenth century
produced no less than 3,641,96O works, or, again
TO the year 1916 of 3277 $40 900 books. Alter this
we may contemplate the fecundlty OF the past year
with some comp0sure.
Speaking OF the character of the publications the
Circular continues
Novels, tales and works of fiction take the lead
with s3l works. an increase OF ten per cent on last
year. Theology, sermons and biblical works
hitherto IN the ascendant, rank second IN the list
we nave from this source ITO works. The next
highest number is 5SS works OF art and science and
Illustrated works classified with art as BENG IN
this class OF works Is rapidly rising; as we become
more exact and scientific we may become, perhaps,
less sensational. Law and Jurisprudence furnish
smallest quota but these some what dry treatises
gives US the respectable number OF 142. The next
smallest number Is 10 pamphlets political and So
cial treatises; and medicine and surgery furnish us
with 17eworks while the betes-lettreS, essays and
monographs OH especial subjects give us l99 This
year in poetry and the drama, including 10 such
works imported from America, we have the re-
spectacle total Of 32s; while in history and oiogra
ply We have total OF AS, great improvement
on last year. Perhaps also among the historical
works We may put lair portion OF the 227juveniie
works and tales, many Of which are founded on
events history. For the young also We must add,
all. but the main portion OF the Alb educational,
classical and pathological works. and some part OF
the 2S3 works on voyages, travels and geographic
cal research. while we reserve entirely Tor the
grown up and mature the 159 works on political
economy, social subjects trade and commerce,
which closes our list. December and November
are the great publishing months, April taxing
third place, the last month. December, eXhaustlng
the efforts of the next January, which only pro-
duces comparatively feeble issue.
In the following table is given the years publica.
tons classified as to subject, new books, new
editions, and American importations