In the course of last year a curious and impudent bibliographical fraud
was perpetrated by some parties unknown. I am not aware that it has been
publicly exposed as yet.
The celebrated work on annuities, by the late Francis Baily, was
published in 1810 by Richardson, and printed by Richard Taylor. It was
at first in one volume: but on the publication of an appendix in 1813,
two titles were printed with this last date, and the stock then
remaining was sold in two volumes. As the book became scarce, it
gradually rose in price, until, when by a rare chance a copy came to the
hammer, it seldom fetched less than five guineas. This price was
lowered, as well by the general decline in the price of old books, as
by the sale of Mr. Baily's own library in 1844, which threw a few copies
into the market; but the work was still saleable at more than the
original price. In the course of last year, copies, as it was pretended,
of the original edition were offered at the assurance offices, and to
individuals known to be interested in the subject, at twenty-five
shillings. Some were taken in, others saw the trick at once. There has
been, in fact, a reprint without any statement of the circumstance, and
without a printer's name; but with a strong, and, on the whole,
successful attempt at imitation of the peculiar typography of the work.
If the execution had been as good as the imitation, the success would
have been greater. But this is wretchedly bad, and will amuse those who
know how very particular Mr. Baily always was in his superintendence of
the press, and how plainly his genuine works bear the marks of it.
The spurious edition may be known at once by the title-page, in which
the words "an appendix" are printed in open letter, which is not the
case in the original. Also by "Leienitz," instead of "Leibnitz" in page
xi. of the preface. Also by the Greek letter [Greek delta rotated 180
degrees] throughout, which is, in the spurious edition, never anything
but an inverted δ, which looks as if it were trying to kick
backwards.
In all probability, the agents in this shabby trick are beneath reproof;
but it is desirable that the reputation of the author whom they have
chosen for its object should not suffer from the effects of their
misprint. And as the work they have appropriated is only used by a small
public, and a reading one, the mode of exposure which I here adopt will
probably be sufficient.
The spurious edition is now on the stalls at a few shillings; and, as a
curiosity, will be worth its price.