It is rather late in the day to speak of what is technically termed
the "getting-up" of this elegant edition of the most popular works of
our time. There are now three volumes published--_Waverley_, in two
vols. and one vol. or half of _Guy Mannering_. Each of the
former contains upwards of 400 pages, and the latter nearly that
number--beautifully printed in what we call a very inviting type, on
excellent paper, of rich colour, and not too garish for the eye of
the reader. The engravings to _Waverley_ are by Graves, C. Rolls,
and Raddon, after E.P. and J. Stephanoff, Newton, and Landseer--a
frontispiece and plate title page and vignette to each volume. To our
taste the vignettes are exquisite--one by Landseer, _David Gellatley,
with Ban and Buscar_, is extremely beautiful. The illustrations to the
volume of _Guy Mannering_ are by Duncan, and C.G. Cooke, after Leslie
and Kidd. The volumes are in substantial canvass binding. Their low
price, a crown a-piece, is the marvel of bookselling, for were they
only reprints without copyright, they would be unprecedentedly cheap.
The whole series will extend to forty volumes, to be published in
three years, and will cost ten pounds. Fifteen-pence a week for the
above term will thus provide a family with one of the most elegant
drawing-room libraries that can be desired. They will about occupy
three _cheffonier_ shelves;--or what delightful volumes for fire-side
shelves, or a "little book-room," or a breakfast parlour opening on
a carpet of lawn--or to read by the hour, with a golden-haired
lady-friend, and chat awhile, and then turn to the most attractive
scenes in the novel, while we ourselves are perhaps enacting the hero
in a romance of real life. Few novels admit of a second reading;
but the _Waverley_ series will never lose their attraction--and to
remember when and where, and with whom you first read each of them,
may perhaps revive many pleasantries.
Of the literary Notes and emendations of the present edition, we have
already expressed our opinion by the selection of several of them for
the pages of the MIRROR; and in the progress of the publication, we
shall endeavour to award similar justice to each of the works.
In the _Athenaeum_, of August 5, the presumed profit on the whole
edition is estimated at £100,000.! The calculation of the sale of
12,000 of each work is a reasonable one, and splendid as, in that
case, the reward will be, the reading-public will be the gainers.
* * * * *