Micbert, Julian, PLUTARCHUS, AND THEOPHRASTUS, ON SUPERSTITION; WITH VARIOUS APPENDICES, AND A LIFE OF PLUTARCHUS, Printed 1828 Price, one Guinea. ABOUT the 5th. of March last year, I published a reprint of the text of Hermann's Orphica. In the preface to that "Typographical Experiment" I said (p. vi & vii): "I am preparing an edition' of Plutarch's treatise on Superstition, in Greek and English, which will serve to occupy my compositor, 'till I can ascertain from the sale of the present volume, whether it is worth my while to con-tinue printing." This I said, writing on the 9th. Jan. 1827. The fate of my "Experiment" was soon decided. Very few booksellers condescended to let a copy of the unfortunate production remain in their shops on sale or return. Some said, they did not deal in Greek books; some that they did not deal in new books; and one even said, that the book was too thin and might be lost. When I received this disastrous information I would willing-ly have renounced printing altogether; but two or three halfsheets of the Plutarchus were already worked off; nay, supposing that a book with an English translation might be more sought after than a work entirely Greek, I had been guilty of the folly of having each time 300 copies taken, and all too on fine paper. But I had still a hope. I had sent copies of the Orphica to two or three of the Newspapers and to most of the principal Reviews. But more than a year has elapsed; and no Newspaper or Review has in the slightest degree condescended to take no I know not how this word escaped me. I ought to have said a reprint.' |