17 JUNE 1899, Page 25

Book Prices Current. By Temple Scott. (George Bell and Sons.)—This

volume is as full as its fellows of surprises and curiosities. The more unreasonable fashions seem to be scarcely holding their own. And the public are absolutely set against the attempt to foist on them things of no value. A volume of rubbishy verse cannot be made precious by the an- nouncement that two hundred and fifty copies only are printed, when two hundred and fifty is at least five times the natural demand. Old favourites, at the same time, maintain their price. The first five editions of " The Compleat Angler," for instance, fetched £800. These volumes carefully studied make us see both the good sense and the folly of mankind.