I remember when I was at Down we were talking of what it is that sells a
book. Mr. Darwin said he did not believe it was reviews or
advertisements, but simply “being talked about” that sold a book.
I believe he is quite right here, but surely a good flaming review helps
to get a book talked about. I have often inquired at my publishers’
after a review and I never found one that made any perceptible increase
or decrease of sale, and the same with advertisements. I think, however,
that the review of _Erewhon_ in the _Spectator_ did sell a few copies of
_Erewhon_, but then it was such a very strong one and the anonymousness
of the book stimulated curiosity. A perception of the value of a review,
whether friendly or hostile, is as old as St. Paul’s Epistle to the
Philippians. {162}