Lombard Street: A Description of the Money Market/front matter
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THE LOMBARD STREET LIBRARY 3s. 6d. net each volume. THE MEANING OF MONEY. By Hartley Withers. WAR AND LOMBARD STREET. By Hartley Withers. MONEY CHANGING: An Introduction to Foreign Exchange. By Hartley Withers. STOCKS AND SHARES. By Hartley Withers. LOMBARD STREET: A Description of the Money Market. By the late Walter Bagehot. New Edition, revised by Hartley Withers. |
ADVERTISEMENT
The composition of this little book has occupied a much longer time than, perhaps, my readers may think its length or its importance deserves. It was begun as long ago as the autumn of 1870; and though its progress has been often suspended by pressing occupations and imperfect health, I have never ceased to work at it when I could. But I fear that in consequence, in some casual illustrations at least, every part of the book may not seem, as the lawyers would say, "to speak from the same time." The figures and the examples which it is most natural to use at one time are not quite those which it is most natural to use at another; and a slowly written book on a living and changing subject is apt a little to want unity in this respect.
I fear that I must not expect a very favourable reception for this work. It speaks mainly of four sets of persons—the Bank of England, Joint Stock Banks other than that Bank, private bankers, and bill brokers; and I am much afraid that neither will altogether like what is said of them. I can only say that the opinions now expressed have not been formed hastily or at a distance from the facts; that, on the contrary, they have been slowly matured in "Lombard Street" itself, and that, perhaps, as they will not be altogether pleasing to any one, I may at least ask for the credit of having been impartial in my criticism.
I should also say that I am indebted to a friend for the correction of the final proof sheets, which an attack of illness prevented me from fully revising. If it had not been for his kind assistance, the publication of the book must have been postponed till the autumn, which, as its production has already been so slow, would have been very annoying to me.
The Poplars, Wimbledon.
April 26, 1873.