It was in 1864 that the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge announced that their books could now be obtained by booksellers on favourable terms. This was also the first year of the publication of "The Statesman's Year Book," which has had a continuous, and I hope will have a lasting, success. There were also many libraries which had large sales and were very popular. Among them were Hurst and Blackett's, Bentley's Standard Library, Select Library of Fiction, Run and Read Library, Railway Library, Parlour Library, Travellers' Library, Home and Colonial Library, Bohn's Various Libraries, The Cottage Library, consisting of some 300 volumes, Lardner's Scientific Library, and Beale's Sixpenny Library. Most of our older poets had at this period very large sales; but, like other things, there has been a great change in poetry, not only in the style of writing but also in the ideals, which are more lofty and inspiring and are far above such writers as Cowper, Longfellow, Moore, Tupper and others who at this period were very popular.
About this time the following Magazines were started, and they all had a considerable popularity and very large sales, but, strangely enough, they have now all ceased to exist: "The Sunday Magazine," of which over one hundred thousand of the first number was sold, "Good Words," also selling largely, "The Argosy," "Aunt Judy's Magazine," "Belgravia," "London Society," "Tinsley's Magazine," edited by Anthony Trollope, and "The Broadway." Number one had a sale of over 100,000 copies.
In 1865 "The Fortnightly Review" was started under the editorship of G.H. Lewes. From that time onward it has maintained a reputation for scholarly, intellectual and scientific articles and is always up to date upon all subjects of the day.
In looking back, it is interesting to note the change in the character of book illustrations. Formerly, especially at Christmas time, there was a large output of well-illustrated books, principally in black and white, and there were then few illustrations printed in colour. The illustrations of Gustave Doré must take the first place as commanding the greatest public attention. Among other popular illustrators of this period were John Tenniel, Birket Foster, Selous, T. Leighton, G.J. Pinwell, Noel Humphreys, J.E. Millais, John Gilbert, Arthur Hughes, Kate Greenaway, Richard Doyle, A.B. Houghton, Sidney Cooper, and the brothers Dalziel, who were also great producers of the printing blocks.
Another of the leading features of the trade was the immense sale of Birthday Books, from Shakespeare to Tennyson. Every poet with a reputation had a compilation made from his writings for which there was always a receptive public. One of the most fascinating and lasting of juvenile books popular at this time was "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." The larger part of the first edition of this book was sold to an American publisher so that a second edition could be quickly announced; that was probably a wise policy and helped to draw attention to the value of the book.
During this and the following years, many authors had great reputations which to-day have almost ceased. The books of most of them have long been out of print, and are almost forgotten except by those who lived during the middle of the nineteenth century. I would instance "A.L.O.E.," who had some fifty books in circulation, the author of "Mary Powell," who issued some twenty-four popular stories, the Rev. J.C. Ryle, Hugh Miller, Mrs. Webb, William and Mary Howitt, Artemus Ward, Mrs. Sewell, R.M. Ballantyne, Samuel Smiles, Miss Yonge, James Grant, Mayne Reid, John Timbs, S. Baring-Gould, Mrs. Carey Brock, Mrs. Gatty, and many others. Some of the novelists who have come to stay had at this period very large sales. Among them, of course, were Dickens, Thackeray, Scott, C. Kingsley, Miss Braddon, Anthony Trollope, George Eliot, and others who, I think, laid a foundation which was very helpful to our later novelists; but it is quite a question whether a new departure is not now developing and that the novel of to-day deals more particularly with the practical events of everyday life and the effect they have upon the moral and spiritual development of the nation.
When Paternoster Square took the place of Newgate Market in 1872, it was quite anticipated that this position would be occupied entirely by publishers and thus form a centre for the trade, but at present this hope has not been realized. During these years great changes took place in Paternoster Row, many of the old buildings giving place to new ones of greater architectural beauty. The following houses are at the present time examples of the improvements which took place by rebuilding: Longmans, Blackwoods, Nelsons, Aldine Chambers. Other changes and improvements are in progress to-day. The Oxford University Press took over the business of the Oxford Bible Warehouse, with what success may be judged by its palatial buildings and business in Amen Corner and Ave Maria Lane, to which it moved in 1883.
There has also been a great change in books besides those previously mentioned, from the superficial gentility of the middle and later part of the Victorian era, to the common-sense practical way we now have of reasoning out the social and political events of the day. This change, if guided by proper thought and consideration for others, will undoubtedly lead to a better and happier England. There are, however, still many changes required, especially in the making and selling of books; and it is to be hoped that by a greater union and more harmony and uniformity in the trade, a more general prosperity will be associated with it, and that many of the disputes and difficulties, often more imaginary than real, will be avoided. It appears to me that the shortest way to attain these ideals will be a central control consisting of representatives of both masters and men in the publishing and bookselling trade, who will settle disputes and whose aim will be to see that a satisfactory profit is realized by the various interests represented. This question has been more fully dealt with in a later chapter.
The Elementary Education Act which was passed by W.E. Forster in 1870 created a great change in the educational literature of this period, the sum asked for in Parliament in 1871 being about one and a half million pounds. What the future educational grant will be, it is impossible to say, though it is to be hoped that it will make as great an improvement in the people as it has done in educational literature.
Another noticeable fact in connexion with books is the few foreign books—especially French—which are now translated and issued in this country. The following authors at this early period had very large sales: Victor Hugo, Jules Verne, Figuier, Erckmann-Chatrian and others.