Philadelphia.
_Bookselling in Glasgow in 1735._--The following curious report of a law
case appears in Morison's _Dictionary of the Decisions of the Court of
Session_, p. 9455. It appears from it that, so late as 1735, the city of
Glasgow, now containing a population of nearly 400,000, was considered too
limited a sphere for the support of only _two_ booksellers.
"1735, January 15. Stalker against Carmichael. Carmichael and Stalker
entered into a co-partnery of bookselling within the City of Glasgow,
to continue for three years; and because _the place was judged too
narrow for two booksellers at a time_, it was stipulated that after the
expiry of three years, either of them refusing to enter into a new
contract upon the former terms, should be debarred from any concern in
bookselling within the city of Glasgow. In a reduction of the contract,
the Lords found the debarring clause in the contract is a lawful
practice, and not contrary to the liberty of the subject."