Page:On the economy of machinery and manufactures - Babbage - 1846.djvu/362

328 arisen; several booksellers have been placed under the ban of the combination, who allege that they have not violated its rules, and who accuse the opposite party of using spies, &c. to entrap them.

(397.) The origin of this combination has been explained by Mr. Pickering, of Chancery-lane, himself a publisher, in a printed statement, entitled, ";" and the following list of booksellers, who form the committee for conducting this combination, is copied from that printed at the head of each of the cases published by Mr. Pickering:

(398.) In whatever manner the profits are divided between the publisher and the retail bookseller, the fact remains, that the reader pays for the volume in his hands 6s., and that the author will receive only 3s. 10d.; out of which latter sum, the expense of printing the volume must be paid: so that in passing