The Story of the House of Cassell
The provincial papers followed suit. One of them reprimanded Lord Brougham for his lamentable violation of the proprieties of publishing, and reproved "the Imperial author" for passing over Mr. Murray, Messrs. Longman, "and the great dignitaries of Paternoster Row," and giving his patronage to "a firm which has never yet given a book of high standing to the world"!
All this farrago of nonsense was destroyed in due course by the London Review, which related the facts as they were:
Upon this the Guardian hastened to withdraw as "without foundation" the suggestion that Lord Brougham had anything to do with the matter, and apologized "for the imputation . . . against so respectable and influential a firm."
The business had now reached great dimensions. Cassell was its spring and inspiration. But he had the defects of his qualities. For the patient organization of a huge business concern he had no special capability. This he was content to leave to Petter and Galpin, and to the able men of business on the staff. His spirit was
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