BIL ADVERTISEMENT. THE series of which this volume forms a part will contain all that I think useful of my former writings, so joined to my present work as to form a consistent course of teaching. I do not mean by "consistent" that the progress or arrangement of it will be on any regular system, but that I will not, so far as I can help, say the same thing oftener than is necessary to gain attention for it; and that I will indicate the connection of each subject with the rest, as it, indeed, existed in my mind always, though I have been forced by mischance to write copiously sometimes on matters about which I cared little, and sparingly of what was, indeed, much in my thoughts. The volumes will each contain, on the average, two hundred pages of text, and those which are illustrated not more than twenty-one plates. They will all be well printed and well bound; and I intend the price asked for them by the retail bookseller to be half-a-guinea for those without plates, and a guinea for the illustrated volumes. Some will be worth a little less than others; but I want to keep my business simple, and I do not care that anybody should read my books who grudges me a doctor's fee per volume. But I find, in the present state of trade, that when the retail price is printed on books, all sorts of commissions and abatements take place, to the discredit of the author, and, I am convinced, in the end, to every one else's disadvantage. I mean, therefore, to sell my own books, at a price from which there shall be no abatement; namely, 9s. 6d. the plain volumes, and 19s. the illustrated ones. My publishers, Messrs. Smith, Elder & Co., will sell all my books at that price over their counter; and my general agent, Mr. G. Allen, Heathfield Cottage, Keston, will supply this volume at the price of 195., without abatement, carriage paid, to any person in town or country, on remittance of the price of the number of volumes required. He has my positive orders to attend to no letter requesting either credit or abatement. |