12 DECEMBER 1896, Page 15

ON THE SELLING OF BOOKS.

[TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."] SIR,—In your notice of my article in the Nineteenth. Century, " On the Selling of Books," in the Spectator of December 5th, your reviewer reports me to have stated " that the discounts granted by publishers to distributors have been increasing for years," So. If he will kindly look at my article again he will find that it was the discounts given by the book- sellers to the public to which I referred, which is a very

different thing.—I am, Sir, So., J. SHAYLOR.