Page:On the economy of machinery and manufactures - Babbage - 1846.djvu/21

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PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION.
xi

"List of the Number of Copies of the First Edition, purchased by a few of the Trade on speculation."

As stated by the Booksellers. Number really purchased by the same on speculation.
"Messrs. Simpkin and Co. 460" 100
"Messrs. Longman and Co. 450" 50
"Messrs. Sherwood and Co. 350" 50
"Messrs. Hamilton and Co. 50" 8
"Mr. James Duncan 125" 25
"Messrs. Whittaker and Co. 300" 50
"Messrs. Baldwin and Co. 75" 25
* "Mr. Effingham Wilson 6" 6
* "Mr. J. M. Richardson 25" 25
"Messrs. J. and A. Arch 12" 6
* "Messrs. Parbury and Co. 12" 12
"Mr. Groombridge 25" 6
* "Messrs. Rivington 12" 12
"Mr. W. Mason 50" 25
* "Mr. B. Fellowes 25" 25
Total . . . . 1977 425

The author of the Reply, although he has not actually stated that these 1977 copies were "subscribed," has yet left the public to make that inference, and has actually suggested it by stating that this number of copies was "purchased on speculation," a statement which would have been perfectly true if the whole number had been purchased in the first instance, and at once. On reading the paper, therefore, I wrote to my publisher to obtain a copy of the "subscription" list, from which the column annexed to the above extract has been taken.

After the day of publication, the demand for the "Economy of Manufactures" was rapid and regular, until the whole edition was exhausted. There can, therefore, be no pretence for asserting that any copies, taken afterwards, were purchased