"The Shepherd's Calendar" sold very slowly, for several months after
its publication Mr. Taylor wrote to Clare:--
"The season has been a very bad one for new books, and I am afraid
the time has passed away in which poetry will answer. With that
beautiful frontispiece of De Wint's to attract attention, and so much
excellent verse inside the volume, the 'Shepherd's Calendar' has had
comparatively no sale. It will be a long time, I doubt, before it
pays me my expenses, but ours is the common lot. I am almost hopeless
of the sale of the books reimbursing me. Of profit I am certain we
have not had any, but that I should not care for: it is to be
considerably out of pocket that annoys me, and by the new works my
loss will probably be heavy."