The Ship in the Desert. A Poem. By Joaquin Miller. 16° $1.50. (Sept.) Nine Little Goslings. By Susan Coolidge. With illustr. by J. A. Mitchell. Sq. 16°. $1.50. (Oct.) Round my House: About the Neighborhood where I live in Peace and War Time. By Philip Gilbert HamerWith illustr. by the author. Sq. 12°. $2. (Oct.) Mice at Play: "When the Cat's away the Mice will play.' A Story for the whole Family. By Neil Forest. With illustr. by Sol Eytinge. Sq. 12°. (Oct.) ton. Leah, a Woman of Fashion. By Mrs. Annie Edwards. A Novel. 8°. $1.75; pap., $1. Dear Lady Disdain. By Justin McCarthy. A Novel. 8°. $1.75: pap., $1. Memoirs of Dr. Eliphalet Nott, late President of Union College. By Prof. Tayler Lewis, of Union. Lectures to My Students. By Rev. C. H. Spurgeon. 12°. $1.25. Our Poetical Favorites' Second Series. Selections from the longer English Poems, and intended as a companion volume to "Our Poetical Favorites" First Series. By Prof. A. C. Kendrick, of Rochester University. History of Ancient and Modern Philosophy. By Prof. Joseph Haven, D.D., late of Chicago Univ. T. WHITTAKER, New-York. Evangelical Church (The). A Series of Discourses by the Ministers of the different Religious Denominations, illustrating the Spiritual Unity of the Church of Christ. Edited by Rev. Henry Tullidge, D.D. Golden Truths. A Course of Sermons for the Christian Year. By John N. Norton, D.D. The Fall Outlook. WE are now at the beginning of the Fall season, the best part of the year, and the most important question before every dealer just now is, what are the prospects for fall? The general commercial feeling is that business is getting down to "hard-pan," and that trade dealings of all sorts this autumn will be on a more cautious and safe basis than for many years. The noticeable quickening of business which was hoped for has not come, nor is it likely to, this fall. The crops, which are the foundation of all business prosperity, are large, and promise to yield a good profit, despite deluges and the grasshoppers, so that there will be a reasonable amount of money to be spent in the country, and we have reached in general merchandise, "bottom" or nearly bottom prices. We can not expect again, for many years, the heyday and extravagant prosperity of the "flush times" succeeding the war, for which we have had to pay the penalty in the recent period of depression. But recovery from that state of things depends simply on the commercial community doing a steady, safe trade, no more than the country requires, making a reasonable profit on that trade, and not endeavoring to launch out into all sorts of speculations as in the old days. Those men who have been doing a reckless business of late years, selling to whomsoever would buy, with little regard to credits, especially some of the smaller business people, may yet have to go, but such failures can not long postpone the return to better times, if the great body of business men stick to safe and sound business methods. In this outlook of general business, the book trade is to be congratulated on several peculiar advantages. It is not to be forgotten that it has suffered also peculiarly, for, in addition to the general depression, it has been the victim of unsound methods of doing business-the most reckless selling without profit and even below the real cost of goods-to an unwonted degree. It is the best evidence of the genera stability of the trade that, under these circumstances, so few failures have occurred. But the recent movements have opened the eyes of all to the folly of such methods, and, what is more, have led to practical and united efforts to help along better times by doing business in a better way. For the first time in many years, the local booksellers, and, for that matter, the book trade in general, stand a chance of making a fair profit on what they sell; the publishers are unanimously for reform, and it only needs the co-operation of the local dealers, who will be most and first benefited, to clinch the nail by standing to the rules. Just at the end of the bad times, and the opening of better, the book trade makes for itself the opportunity to abandon bad and return to good habits, and in this respect it is exceptionally fortunate. But the national and other meetings of the trade have accomplished much otherwise, even if we overlook their direct result as embodied work with vim, and there ought to be no further complaint of the book business. THE proposal to organize a local Board of Trade in New-York, in the book and stationery interests, should be heartily seconded through the trade here. The idea of gathering the data as to commercial standing, by bringing together the information in the hands of the trade itself, is an excellent one, and follows a system which has been found, in other lines of busi in the declaration against underselling. They have been the means of bringing the trade together, acquainting its members with the best ways of doing business, as each has found them out for himself, exchanging ideas, showing the possibility of a much larger book business through the country on a safer basis, and infusing through the trade a feeling of encouragement and enthusiasm that will do much to give an impetus to business. Among other demoralizing features, they have done away with the trade auction sales, and substituted in their place the excellent book fair system and specialness, to work well. The wholesale houses and sales, such as are announced in this number, and thus avoided the danger of the trade loading themselves up with dead stock, that locks up capital and prevents the buying of fresh and salable goods before the holidays again. All this is good. Now, we say to the trade, at this opening of the fall season, that they can make it the best autumn they have known for some years. Even if general business should continue dull for another year, their chances are good, provided they improve them. Now is the time for them to decide, by their wisdom in buying and enterprise in selling, whether the book business of this country shall not be increased as it ought to be, and as cool men, in the trade believe it may be, nearly fifty per cent. The local dealer in any town should know his customers and the book-buying community, their habits of buying and their tastes, thoroughly well. Let him then look carefully over his stock, and fill it out to such extent as his capital will safely permit with just the kind of books he can induce these people to buy-not "bargains," or hap-hazard purchases of any sort. We do not advise him so much to buy largely as to buy wisely, that he may sell out his fresh goods and be ready to turn over his money again by sending in large second orders before the holidays come. Then let him go hard to work to stir up his trade, and not wait idly for some one to come in and "want a book." Let him remember that by vigorous machinery-which he should rival, if not pattern by-over 50,000 copies of that very costly book, Picturesque America," were sold in the dullest of dull times. are, He must also bear in mind that dull times may even be turned to advantage, by keeping it before the public that books after all, the best investment and cheapest presents when there is little money to spare. By careful and enterprising promotion of his business, any dealer may thus increase it vastly, in the dullest of seasons, and under the better promise of the future, with the reform to teach him, he has this fall the best of chances. Let him be proud of his calling, as he has a right to be, and fall to their travelers are pretty sure to be posted as to a dealer's soundness, in whatever part of the country he may be, and their information is apt to be both fresher and more certain than that of the general commercial agencies, which have often been known to continue ratings long after a man was dead. A reliable knowledge of relative standing is desirable on all sides, because it promotes soundness in trade and prevents honest, careful dealers being put to disadvantage by irresponsible people who undersell recklessly, or otherwise hurt the trade. Every body should therefore be glad to give all information that they can, and generally to promote this new movement. The other objects proposed, with special reference to the stationery business-the prevention of unfair copying of trademarks, styles, and such purposes-are also of great importance, and we trust to see the proposed Board successfully organized at once. THE special sale announced by Jas. R. Osgood & Co., Sept. 15th to Oct. 20th, is the important event of the day. The system of such sales, with extra discounts to start off business in the fall, is a great improvement on the old method of trade sales by auction, with its demoralizing effects, and as the Book Fair of this year was found to be too early for the miscellaneous trade, and there was question of the advisability of a second following so soon upon the first, the plan seems to us expedient for this year. The trade should take advantage of the opportunity, and thus give another blow at trade auctions, to which, we trust, no publisher of standing who understands how, and how only, a safe and wise business can be done, will ever contribute again. Next year, we look for a grand general Fair in October, which will be an unexampled success, and obviate the necessity even of special sales, by combining their advantages with that of the old trade-sale system. THE reform continues promising, except for such individual instances as the one recorded in our Nashville report, and we believe such dealers will ultimately see the unwisdom of their course. Meanwhile, the arbitration clause of the Niagara resolution makes it possible for dealers concerned to meet such competition under the rules. It is to the interest of every local dealer to become a member of the A. B. T. A., or, at any rate, to join in the reform. Those who are not posted can obtain information by addressing any of the officers of the association, or, in particular, Mr. N. R. Monachesi, Secretary of Committees, care of the PUBLISHERS' WEEKLY. We trust the importance of local organizations in every place will not be forgotten. We have to thank Mr. James Kelly, of Boston, for a suggestion that may prove useful to the trade-that of a department of " Notes and Queries," in which questions relating to books or trade matters may be asked, and may call out answers from our readers. We could not undertake to give the editorial attention necessary for answering all such queries, but shall take pleasure in making them known. WE give in this number a good portion of the publishers' announcements for the fall; many are not yet ready, and will therefore appear in succeeding issues. The lists, we may add, do not look very much as though dull times were expected. TRADE MEETINGS. Nashville, Tenn. WE have the following report, resolution, and explanation from the members of the Committee on Local Organization, A. B. T. A., at Nashville, Tenn. : A meeting of the booksellers of Nashville was called for the 24th of August. Notices were sent to all dealers adjacent to Nashville, but none were present outside of the city. Many dealers throughout the State, however, proved their interest by sending cordial letters. At the meeting, Mr. W. T. Berry occupied the chair. Several propositions concerning a new organization were submitted, but there not being a full attendance of the trade, it was deemed advisable to adjourn until next day. A committee appointed to wait upon a certain house which was not represented, and to solicit their attendance, reported their refusal to have any thing to do with the meeting. On the receipt of this report, it was again agreed to adjourn until next day, in the mean time to make a final effort to induce Messrs. Wheeler, Marshall & Bruce, the firm in question, to come in. At the third day's meeting, Aug. 26th, it was reported that Mr. Wheeler, representing his firm, expressed the determination not to sign any thing, nor to be in any way connected with either the local organization or the American Book Trade Association. The following reso lution was passed, and signed by every member of the trade except the house named: NASHVILLE, Aug. 26, 1875. At a meeting of the Booksellers, held at the Cumberland Presbyterian Board of Publication, it was Resolved, 1st. That selling books to scholars at a discount on teachers' orders, is an infraction of the agreement made and entered into by them in 1873. Resolved, 2d. That teachers are entitled to a discount on books only when they buy for their own use, or to sell at retail prices to their scholars. W. T. BERRY & Co., T. C. BLAKE, Agt, HUNTER & WARREN, A. SETLIFF, TAVEL, EASTMAN & HOWELL, W. S. DUCKWORTH & Co., D. N. NEYLAN, G. W. HUTCHISON, S. F. SNOWDEN, A. H. REDFORD, Agt., In order that the significance of the resoluthat in 1873 each dealer in Nashville, including tion may be understood, it should be stated Wheeler, Marshall & Bruce, signed an agreement not to retail school and college textbooks to any other than dealers and teachers for less than publishers' retail prices. Now last year and this year, said firm arranged with a large school to supply pupils with books at reduced rates (teachers' prices), simply upon the pupil presenting an order for the same signed by the teacher. Michigan. A STATE association has just been formed in Michigan, under the title of the Michigan Booksellers' Association." Its officers are as follows: President.-Wesley Emery, Lansing. Vice-Presidents.-J. R. Fiske, Ann Arbor; L. R. Penfield, Hillsdale; W. F. King, Adrian. Secretary.-Wilber Parker, Detroit. Executive Committee.-Wesley Emery, Lansing; Chas. Eaton, Grand Rapids; J. M. Arnold, Detroit; F. L. Reynolds, Muskegon; A. Richmond, Detroit. Arbitrative Committee.-George D. Brown, Jackson; E. C. Newell, Saginaw City; S. H. Douglass, Ann Arbor.; W. E. Tunis, Detroit; Geo. H. Smith, Detroit. A constitution of effective character has been prepared, and circulated for signature through the State, with an excellent address, signed by Mr. Wilber Parker, of Detroit, Secretary. The address calls the attention of the trade to "the palpable proof of the great good that has been accomplished in the short existence of the American Book Trade Association," and names, as the objects of the State organization : Ist. Uniformity of prices. 2d. As speedily as possible a return to full retail prices. 3d. Kindly feeling toward one another. 4th. A strict adherence to the 20 per cent article of the A. B. T. A. The Michigan booksellers are making an excellent start. BUSINESS CHANGES. ST. PAUL, MINN.-Messrs. J. T. and G. T. Dudley, having formed a partnership under firm name of Dudley Brothers, will continue the book and stationery business at the store formerly occupied by W. S. Combs, and afterward by J. T. Dudley. WASHINGTON, D. C.-C. C. Pursell, bookseller and stationer, has removed to 422 Ninth street, Northwest. Special Offer. The Publishers' WEEKLY reaches, through its regular subscription list, nearly nine tenths of the book business done in this country. We wish, however, to have every live bookseller, and accordingly send this specimen number to many not on our list. The information and suggestions received from the WEEKLY, will, it is agreed by the best booksellers, enable almost any dealer to increase his sales more than a hundred dollars a season, which makes it pay to take the WEEKLY. To acquaint all dealers with its practical value, we will send the WEEKLY, postage paid, through the fall season, when most of the business is done (i.e., up to Jan. 1st, 1876), for ONE DOLLAR. No dealer can afford to neglect this offer. Inclose amount to P. O. Box 4295, New-York. BOOKS RECEIVED. THE CALDERWOOD SECRET, by Virginia W. Johnson. (Harper & Bros.) The scene of this story is New-York, and the actors in it are Americans. though very little that is purely characteristic of our life and people appears. The "secret" is the suppression of a will, and the dishonest withholding of a fortune. The story is full of action, and some of the characters are depicted with a great deal of cleverness. 8vo, paper, 50 cents. ELEMENTS OF ENGLISH GRAMMAR, by S. W. Whitney, A.M. (J. W. Shermerhorn & Co.) The aim of this little volume is to give within its scope the most practical rules for writing and speaking grammatically. The plan pursued is that of laying down principles or giving definitions, illustrating them, and then testing the learner's knowledge of them by calling upon him to make a practical application of them. The questions will be found a great help to both teachers and pupils, while the general arrangement of the work presents many new and striking features. 16mo, cloth, 45 cents. ANNALS OF A FORTRESS, by E. Viollet-le-Duc, translated by Benjamin Bucknall. (James R. Osgood & Co.) The mythical fortress upon a branch of the Saône, of which a very interesting history is given, its various changes being most graphically described, serves also as the basis for elaborate illustrations of military science. The work is besides a remarkable historical study, as it begins from the very earliest times, coming down to the present day, describing the progress of each period in military engineering, in attack and defense, and the most primitive and advanced methods of constructing fortresses. The volume is fully illustrated with plans, maps, etc., and very handsomely gotten up. 8vo, cloth, red edges, $5. FAMILY RECORD ALBUM. (Henry Holt & Co.) A very handsomely gotten up volume of blanks, systematically arranged for recording every thing of interest which occurs in family life. There are biographical, genealogical, heirloom, pages; in fact, a place for noting any thing domestic economy pages, and miscellaneous which may happen to a person from date of birth to the record of death. It supplies a want in every family, the family Bible scarcely offering the space for detailed record, and should be with the family Bible in every home. Large 4to, cloth, $5; half morocco, $8. THE THEISTIC CONCEPTION OF THE WORLD, by B. F. Cocker, D.D. (Harper & Bros.) The present volume was written to stem the tide of modern free thought. It takes up the question of a "God and no God," and very clearly and sharply defines the position the author assumes. It is a very valuable contribution to theological literature, is very carefully written, and will commend itself to all thoughtful and inquiring minds. 12mo, cloth, $2.50. business more than to circulate among one's THERE is nothing that helps a retail book regular customers, and those likely to buy books, a live, chatty, bright little paper, telling ANCIENT HISTORY FROM THE MONUMENTS: buy books, and suggesting to him incidentally the reader pleasantly why and how he should PERSIA, by W. S. W. Vaux. (Scribner, Arm- what the best standard and new books are. strong & Co.) This is the third volume of this That object is best accomplished by the Literseries, gotten up especially for the popular pre-ary News, of which we reprint the September sentation of recent archæological investigations. The history of Persia is treated of, as derived from its tombs and monuments; the volume begins from the earliest period, and goes down to the Arab conquest. As it is designed chiefly for the general reader, it is written in simple and easy manner. Small 12mo, cloth, $1.00. a THE RAILROAD SCENERY OF PENNSYLVANIA. (J. B. Lippincott & Co.) One of the handsomest handbooks we have seen. It is full of the most beautiful illustrations, and is beautifully printed on fine tinted paper. It is a most excellent guide for tourists, as it gives a most perfect idea of the route named. 8vo, paper, 25 cents. number in our advertising pages. This is prettily gotten up, has usually an illustration from some popular book on its first page, a bright little editorial, which encourages the buying of books, especially at the home bookstore, other articles on or extracts from books, readable paragraphs about the new publications, and agreeable literary gossip on those following, and gives a picked price list of the most salable books recently issued. Every line in it is meant to tell on the sales of the bookseller whose imprint it bears. The Literary News has the advantage of all the bibliographical, literary, and trade facilities of the PUBLISHers' WEEKLY office, and is, therefore, better than could possibly be prepared by the individual dealer. It is furnished with dealer's sole imprint at very reasonable terms (for which see advertising pages), which are lower than those at which any dealer could get it up for himself, and it will easily pay for itself a dozen times over. In these matters, it is always good economy to have the best a-going, and dealers who look into the subject will find that the Literary News. The fall is the season when special endeavors to push business should be made, and we trust, therefore, to hear from many dealers as to the October number. Its value is shown by the fact that it is circulated by many of our most enterprising booksellers, from Maine to Texas, among whom we may name Loring, Short & Harmon, Portland; Lockwood, Brooks & Co., Estes & Lauriat, Boston; Dodd & Mead, G. P. Putnam's Sons, Geo. R. Lockwood, NewYork; Brooks & Schinkel, Cleveland; Geo. E. Stevens & Co., Cincinnati; Brown & Faunce, Toledo, O.; E. B. Smith & Co., Detroit, Mich.; Fogarty Book Co., Charleston, S. C.; R. G. Eyrich, New-Orleans; W. W. Gamble, San Antonio, Texas; A, Roman & Co., San Francisco. We invite non-subscribers to ask any of these houses how they like the Literary News. Personal Mention. MR. GEORGE W. FORD, having lately dissolved his connection with Messrs. John Wiley & Son, in whose foreign department he occupied a leading position, has become connected in a similar capacity with Pott, Young & Co. THE "poet-publisher," President Randolph, is in New-York, on a little vacation from his summer duties in felling trees and "improving generally," at "Greynook," Lake George. He returns to town for his winter rest in October. MR. J. BLAIR SCRIBNER and bride arrived from Europe last week in the steamship Bothnia, from their tour in Europe. Mr. Scribner remained for a month in London, meeting many of the authors and publishers, and returns in fine health and spirits for autumn work. The Scribner houses have been well represented abroad this summer-Mr. Scribner, Mr. Roswell Smith, publisher of the_magazines, and Mr. Bangs, the head of the English department here, having been in London during the season; not to speak of Mr. Welford, the resident London partner. As a consequence, the English house expects to show some fine goods in the new store, during the fall. THE "literary man" in a publishing house is a most important fifth wheel, although he is not always known to the public and the trade. It is he who must answer the questions of authors while their books are under way-and they ask a great many; must inform the newspaper people who come for items, must have a general eye on the proofs, and do a thousand things, in short, that keep both his tongue and his pen busy. Mr. A. Smith is the pleasant gentleman and graceful writer who occupies this position in the Osgood house, to the great satisfaction of all who have to do with him. He has been somewhat known outside as the Boston literary correspondent of several leading papers, where his connection with one house has by no means prevented his doing justice to Boston literature in general. MR. GEORGE S. MCGINNIS, the veteran book seller of Princeton, N. J., has begun a little reform crusade of his own. Having had some. difficulty, as regards underselling, with the "college bookstore" in his town, he has been personally calling upon New-York publishers, and laying the case before them. He finds them very ready to stand by the reform rules, and his pilgrimage, which is to the benefit of the trade at large, is giving him no little satisfaction. Mr. McGinnis has " Mr. Randolph calls it, and has always been for experience," as reform. STATIONERY NOTES. THE state of trade in stationery and fancy goods at present exhibits nothing of interest. Trade is said to be dull, but the dullness is accepted as a proper exponent of the times, and no particular complaints are heard. In other branches of trade, the complaints are numerous, and probably with cause; and that they are not heard in the stationery and fancy goods trades is an evidence that these trades have not suffered in the general depression as much as some others. That trade should now be dull, there is to a certain extent a cause. of the large jobbers attended the late book fair, and purchased such stock as they needed for temporary use. This not having been distributed as yet, they are in no want of more ; therefore, they purchase nothing. The jobbers, dealers, and importers in New-York have now all their travelers upon the road, but as the large distributers, West and South, have the temporary stocks spoken of, they desire nothing more. Most The travelers, therefore, must confine themselves to the retail trade, and the bills of this class are never very large. It is understood that the orders sent back by the for the causes stated, this should not be taken travelers amount only to from $75 to $150; but as an indication that there is nothing doing. It may be assumed that trade is now as lively as could be expected under the circumstances, but there is nevertheless an undercurrent that begets a lack of confidence. Prominent houses enterprises; they husband their means, and are therefore prevented from engaging in new wait for better times. But there is a reason for even this, and, as far as can be ascertained, the reason is, that the present uncertainty in regard to national finances influences the entire trade. We are now entering upon a political campaign that, from the questions at issue, will be peculiarly interesting to business men, and even now the effect is seen. With the present uncertainty (and no positive knowledge can be had until after the next Presidential election), it can not be expected that trade should be brisk, so we would suggest that the present be accepted as all that the times should give, and that all complaints relative to circumstances that can not be altered should be avoided. At present, there are no novelties upon the market, but the novelties of the past months, in the line of writing-papers, are selling well. The sale of standard stationery for the use of schools has been accelerated somewhat, as this is the opening of the school season, but the schools regard matters in the same light as the retail trade, and buy cautiously. The prospect for the future is hopeful, and it is possible that |