The Oldest & Best. Established 1887. Indispensable to the Bookseller, BOOK-PRICES CURRENT VOLUMES I. TO XXII. Being a Record of the Prices at which Books have been sold at Auction during the years 1887 to 1908, with the Titles and Descriptions of the Books in full, the Catalogue Numbers and the Names of the Purchasers. Some of the earlier volunes are out of print and others In order to meet the wishes of many subscribers, BOOK-PRICES CURRENT is now published in bimonthly parts. Subscribers to the BI-MONTHLY ISSUE OF BOOKPRICES CURRENT subscribe for the PARTS at the price of £15s. 6d. inclusive, and receive them as issued by post. Cases to bind the parts in uniform with the annual volume are obtainable. "It may be said without exaggeration that the annual volumes of Mr. Slater's admirable compilation are indispensable to such as desire to follow with any closeness the record of sales and the movements of the second-hand book market."-Times. "Valuable to book-sellers, and still more so to book-buyers. This useful work has long established its position, and must have saved many a collector a bad bargain."-Athenæum. "The book collector's Bible."-Pall Mall Gazette. "To all classes of bookmen the issues of BOOK-PRICES CURRENT may be pronounced indispensable."-Literary World. LONDON: ELLIOT STOCK, 62, PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C. WILLIAM JAGGARD Member of the ROYAL SOCIETY OF ARTS, THE BIBLIOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY Author of the 'INDEX TO 'B P.C' 1887-96,' LONDON: ELLIOT STOCK, 62 PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C. 1909 INTRODUCTION BOOKS bring every with the kings of thought, into communion with the most wise, gifted, cultured, forceful of earth's best men. Books breathe and breed a love of truth and justice, nobility and purity, beauty and courtesy. They teach how to enjoy the best in life and how to endure the worst. So, unconsciously maybe but none the less truly, every lover of good books renders a dual service, first, to his fellowmen, by helping to keep alight the sacred torch of learning, most potent force for world-wide concord and progress--second, for himself he secures the highest, purest pleasure civilisation has invented, and should perforce become thereby the worthier citizen. In their wellchosen libraries discerning bibliophiles may retire to havens of peace and melody, and quietly enjoy the very flower and fruition of man's supremest efforts. The book-lover believes with Carlyle that 'a book is the true thaumaturgic virtue by which man works all things whatsoever, and that the most imperative duty lies on every one to be assiduous in reading.' true student into close and intimate association Selection Of books there are but two kinds-good and bad. therefrom by the novice is no simple matter, though less onerous when aided by a good map of the great book realm; and this brings one to the subject of bibliography or book-craft. The two kinds of books named may be sub-divided into three classes books you must read, books you may read, books you need not read-and the natural question arises, Which are the best guides or help-mates? During the last generation bibliography has asserted and proven its right to a prominent position among the lesser sciences in this kingdom. In this matter Great Britain cannot be accused of any feverish or undue haste, in view of the excellent example set long since by our good neighbours in France and Germany. Bibliography of itself forms an exacting and intricate branch of knowledge, and vi. 'Book-Prices Current' Index, 1897-1906. for its complete mastery an average life seems all too short. Considerable literary acquaintance is needful before the novice grasps the magnitude of the first rudimentary fact that printed books exist in millions, and that no man can ever know or handle them all, or master their individual life-history. The British Museum alone contains nearly four millions on its forty-eight miles of shelving. Until within a comparatively brief span modern reference guides for founding a library were difficult of access and consultation, and when secured distinctly time-wasting. The technical wisdom now so , easily obtained in a score of manuals was then mainly locked up in the archives of the initiated or hopelessly buried in a maze of extraneous information. In these latter days of increasing pressure came the inevitable request for some quick, convenient and reliable guide. This gave rise to the idea of a serial like 'Book-Prices Current,' which was conceived and commenced in 1886. Among the numerous publications dealing with the science of books it holds a peculiar if not unique position. As I am in no way connected with the work I may the more freely express an opinion on its merits. The initial volume at once filled a vacancy and the work thrived correspondingly. Within its limits it is a faithful reflex of the auction room, that vortex which gathers to itself every species of mundane property. To this ceaseless eddy comes in turn almost every book, however old or new, rare or common. So that while 'B.P.C.' continues to appear it is obvious that but few books worth mentioning can eventually escape its meshes. 'B.P.C.' is the combined product of some of the leading book experts, and therefore sufficiently authoritative to command respect and daily use. Apart from the titles it contains thousands of descriptive and historical annotations of considerable help to the bookman. To-day its twenty-four volumes make an imposing shelf of reference, well-nigh indispensable. In its twenty thousand pages the special detail sought for is generally to be found. So that the chase after a scarce tome now is often an elementary matter with this set at hand. Though it exists primarily to supply the current auction value of books, and has thereby exerted for a generation a steadying influence on the open market, yet are there countless technical points for which one naturally turns to it, commonly with satisfaction. One of the most trustworthy demonstrations of its virtues, perhaps, |