IV. THAT a list of books invoiced by me as having been printed over twenty years, but actually printed within that period, is desired.

V. AND finally, that by reason of the alleged fraudulent character of the invoice of books consigned to Messrs. Thomas and Sons, the books were seized for a violation of Section 2864 Revised Statutes of the United States.

The accusations against me are so monstrous and so untrue, that I find it almost beneath my dignity to offer any defence.

My conduct ever since I was a man has been such as to win the respect and confidence of most people. Though I am what is called in England "only a tradesman," the standard of my honour is as high as that of the best in the land. The character of the Chevalier Bayard, "Sans peur et sans reproche," has been my ideal through life; and to arraign meBERNARD QUARITCH-for fraud is as shocking to my sense of propriety as if the established laws of nature had been violated and reversed.

The United States' Government has my honour upon trial. Whatever the result be, and however I should regret an adverse decision, I have full confidence in the judgment of my American customers, and do not doubt that they will all stand by me, and continue to believe in me. In the days of Autos de la fe the Inquisitors could burn those whom they looked upon as heretics, but the reputation of the victims has not been tarnished by their condemnation. I do not court martyrdom—a martyr

is seldom a pattern of wisdom; but I plead for even justice and a calm unbiassed consideration of my alleged infringement of the United States' Tariff.

The books about which there may be a double opinion were not manufactured by me or anybody else for the American market. When they were produced the American Tariff was not even thought of.

The Government of the United States has in me a sincere friend, and every citizen of the Republic receives in my house a hearty welcome. Surely it is a painful mistake to look upon me as an enemy and to treat me as a criminal.

I sincerely hope that the United States' Treasury will receive such a report from you with regard to my exceptional position in the London Trade, as will put an end to all such erroneous impressions. It is sufficiently known here, that the most eminent men in England, such as Lord Beaconsfield, Mr. Gladstone, the Dukes of Somerset and Devonshire, the Earl of Kimberley, Lord Northbrooke, the Earl of Crawford and his son Lord Lindsay, Prince LouisLucien-Bonaparte, Mr. Ruskin, Professor Huxley, Professor Mivart, Professor Owen, and others, whose names are famous, have honoured me with their patronage and friendship.

An action for fraud against me would be considered impossible by my English customers. It is not the loss of the consignments which affects me, but it is a matter of vital importance that I should vindicate my injured honour. I trust the United States' Treasury will find means to withdraw their charge.

With regard to the despatch of books from England to another country, the making out of the invoice is tolerably easy (though not so easy as it seems), when the goods invoiced have actually been sold. When books are, however, consigned in the usual way to be sold, it is wholly impossible to foretell the result of the sale, and to make a correct declaration of the value of the books consigned, their true value being of course so much as they will fetch and no more. The compulsion upon the shipper of swearing to the value of the goods consigned by him is, therefore, only a mockery of the sacredness of an oath.

I have not read the exact wording of the United States' Tariff on the article of Books, but I have understood, and have declared accordingly, that books printed within twenty years pay 25 per cent. duty ad valorem, but that books printed before that limit are duty free. Now for the difficulties, first of the price, and then of the date. Books consigned for absolute sale, as mine were, would be disposed of at whatever price they might bring, and that has very often been less than the value I had declared. Thus if I declared my books at too high an estimate, I made myself a martyr (which is nearly the same thing as a fool), and if too low, I should be a rogue. There is no middle term, for, to hit the exact price a book would fetch is an impossibility. But this I hear is not at present the question. I understand I am charged with having declared books to have been printed over

I.

twenty years ago, which were really printed within twenty years. This charge I deny. All books printed from wood-blocks, “ stereos, coppers, or steels, with a title engraved in any such manner will always retain their original date, no matter how long and how often after the first issue they may have been printed. ALL Chinese books are thus printed. Most of the great Works on Art have such engraved titles. Impressions from stereotypes always present the same original date unless specially altered. There are other difficulties in the way raising duty according to date, as in the facts that:1. Many books have no date whatever.

2. Oriental books are dated by Oriental Eras.

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3. Dates are used in Oriental, Hebrew, and other books which can only be conjectured or deciphered by trained scholars.

4. In the case of many books one-half, or some portion of the work is printed twenty years before the remainder. The duty-free portion may be the scarcer part while the modern portion may be of little value, and there would thus be an apparent inequality in the value of each.

[It is hoped the Customs' officers are in possession of a complete set of my Catalogues, many of which are long since out of print and very scarce.]

In reply to inquiry No. I, quoted on the first page, I beg to give you here a brief

HISTORY OF MY LIFE AS A BOOKSELLER AND

PUBLISHER.

I was born on April 23rd, 1819, in Worbis, Prussia; but, when only nine years of age, I lost my father, a Prussian military officer, and have since then struggled slowly upwards, unaided by friends or relatives. Having served a five years' apprenticeship with a New-bookseller in Nordhausen, Prussia, from 1834 to 1839, I went in the latter year to a publisher in Berlin; but being determined to enter into the Old-book trade, I came, in April, 1842, to London, and succeeded in entering Henry George Bohn's service. I remained with him, on that occasion, for two years then went to Paris for one year's employment in a French house, after which I returned to Bohn for two years more, and left him finally in April, 1847. I had thus nearly thirteen years' experience as an employé. Three of my employers are still alive, and I am on friendly terms with them. In all those years I was only absent from my duties for one week, and that was during my apprenticeship and in consequence of an illness. I was never out of work for more than the few days consumed in the journeys from Nordhausen to Berlin, Berlin to London, London to Paris, and Paris to London.

I commenced business for myself as an Agent in April, 1847, at 63 Great Russell Street, with a capital of about £70; but owing to a dispute which arose between Mr. Bohn and myself, I changed my office, and took a small shop, in October, 1847, at