| PART I. |
| Page |
| CHAPTER I. |
| The Weald of Kent—Caxton's School-days—French disused—English taught —Variations in English—Books before Printing—Libraries—Transcribers— Books for the Great—Book Trade—No Books for the People—Changes produced by Printing | [1] |
| CHAPTER II. |
| The Mercer's Apprentice—His Book-knowledge—Commerce in Books—Schools in London—City Apprentices—City Pageants—Spread of English Language— English Writers—Chaucer—Gower—Lydgate—The Minstrels—National Literature | [19] |
| CHAPTER III. |
| Caxton abroad—Caxton's mercantile pursuits—Restrictions on Trade—Caxton's Commission—Merchants' Marks—Beginnings of Printing—Playing Cards—Wood-engraving—Block-books—Moveable Types—Guttenberg—Guttenberg's Statue—Festival at Mentz | [44] |
| CHAPTER IV. |
| The Court of Burgundy—Caxton a Translator—Literature of Chivalry—Feudal Times—Caxton at the Ducal Court—Did Caxton print at Bruges—Edward the Fugitive—The new Art | [62] |
| CHAPTER V. |
| Rapidity of Printing—Who the first English Printer—Caxton the first English Printer—First English Printed Book—Difficulties of the first Printers—Ancient Bookbinding—The Printer a Publisher—Conditions of Cheapness in Books | [85] |
| CHAPTER VI. |
| The Press at Westminster—Theological Books—Character of Caxton's Press—The Troy Book—The Game of the Chess | [109] |
| CHAPTER VII. |
| Female Manners—Lord Rivers—Popular History—Popular Science—Popular Fables—Popular Translations—The Canterbury Tales—Statutes—Books of Chivalry—Caxton's last days | [125] |
| CHAPTER VIII. |
| The Chapel—The Companions—Increase of Readers—Books make Readers—Caxton's Types—Wynkyn's Dream—The first Paper-mill | [153] |
| Appendix | [167] |
| PART II. |
| CHAPTER I. |
| Cheap Popular Literature—Conditions of Cheapness—Popular Literature of Elizabeth's reign—Who were the Readers | [179] |
| CHAPTER II. |
| Imperfect Civilisation—Reading during the Civil Wars—Reading after the Restoration—French Romances—First London Catalogue, 1680—Authors and Booksellers—Subscription Books—Books in Numbers—The Canvassing System | [197] |
| CHAPTER III. |
| Periodical Literature—Prices of Books—18th Century—Two Classes of Buyers—The Magazines—Collections of the Poets—The Circulating Library—Cheap Book-Clubs | [218] |
| CHAPTER IV. |
| Continued dearness of Books—Useful Knowledge Society—Modern Epoch of Cheapness—Demand and Supply—The Printing-machine—The Paper-machine—Revival of Woodcutting | [238] |
| CHAPTER V. |
| London Catalogue, 1816-1851—Annual Catalogues, 1828, 1853—Classes of Books, 1816-1851—Periodicals, 1831, 1853—Aggregate amount of Book-trade—Collections and Libraries—International Copyright—Readers in the United States—Irish National School-books | [260] |
| CHAPTER VI. |
| Cheap Fiction—Penny Periodicals | [277] |
| CHAPTER VII. |
| Degrees of Readers—General Improvement—Newspaper Press—Newspaper Press National—Agricultural Readers—General desire for Amusement—Supply of real Knowledge | [286] |
| CHAPTER VIII. |
| Free Libraries—In Towns—In Rural Districts—Influences of the best Books | [303] |
