Page:On the economy of machinery and manufactures - Babbage - 1846.djvu/352

318 This account appears to disagree with that in page 206; but it will be observed that the three first articles amount to 266l. 1s., the sum there stated. The apparent difference arises from a circumstance which was not noticed in the first edition of this work. The bill amounting to 205l. 18s., as there given, and as reprinted in the present volume, included an additional charge of ten per cent. upon the real charges of the printer and paper-maker.

(383.) It is usual for the publisher, when he is employed as agent between the author and printer, to charge a commission of ten per cent, on all payments he makes. If the author is informed of this custom previously to his commencing the work, as was the case in the present instance, he can have no just cause of complaint; for it is optional whether he himself employs the printer, or communicates with him through the intervention of his publisher.

The services rendered for this payment are, the making arrangements with the printer, the wood-cutter, and the engraver, if required. There is a convenience in having some intermediate person between the author and printer, in case the former should consider any of the charges made by the latter as too high. When the author himself is quite unacquainted with the details of the art of printing, he may object to charges which, on a better acquaintance with the subject, he might be convinced were very moderate and in such cases he ought to depend on the judgment of his publisher, who is generally conversant with the art. This is particularly the case in the charge for alterations and corrections, some of which, although apparently trivial, occupy