268

COMBINATIONS OF MASTERS

regarded merely as advertising machines. That thereader may be in some measure on his guard againstsuch modes of influencing his judgment, he shouldexamine whether the work reviewed is published bythe bookseller who is the proprietor of the review; afact which can sometimes be ascertained from thetitle of the book as given at the head of the article.But this is by no means a certain criterion, becausepartnerships in various publications exist betweenhouses in the hook trade, which are not generallyknown to the public; so, that in fact, until Reviewsare established in which booksellers have no interest,they can never be Safely trusted.

(302.) In order to put down the combination ofbooksellers, no plan appears so likely to succeed as acounter-association of authors. If any considerableportion of the literary world were to unite and formsuch an association; and if its affairs were directed byan active committee, much might be accomplished.The objects of this union should he, to employ someperson well skilled in the printing, and in the book-selling trade; and to establish him in some centralsituation as their agent. Each member of the asso-ciation to be at liberty to place any, or all of hisworks in the hands of this agent for sale; to allowany advertisements, or list of hooks published bymembers of the association, to be stitched up at theend of each of his own productions ; the expenseof preparing them being defrayed by the proprietorsof the books advertised.

The duties of the agent would be to retail tothe public, for ready money, copies of books pub-lished by members of the association. To sell to