uccess in America. In April a copy
reached London in the hands of a gentleman who had taken it on the
steamer to read. He gave it to Mr. Henry Vizetelly, who submitted it to
Mr. David Bogue, a man known for his shrewdness and enterprise. He took
a night to consider it, and then declined it, although it was offered
to him for five pounds. A Mr. Gilpin also declined it. It was then
submitted to Mr. Salisbury, a printer. This taster for the public sat up
with the book till four o'clock in the morning, alternately weeping
and laughing. Fearing, however, that this result was due to his
own weakness, he woke up his wife, whom he describes as a rather
strong-minded woman, and finding that the story kept her awake and made
her also laugh and cry, he thought it might safely be printed. It seems,
therefore, that Mr. Vizetelly ventured to risk five pounds, and the
volume was brought out through the nominal agency of Clarke & Company.
In the first week an edition of seven thousand was worked off. It made
no great stir until the middle of June, but during July it sold at the
rate of one thousand a week. By the 20th of August the demand for it was
overwhelming. The printing firm was then employing four hundred
people in getting it out, and seventeen printing-machines, besides
hand-presses. Already one hundred and fifty thousand copies were sold.
Mr. Vizetelly disposed of his interest, and a new printing firm began to
issue monster editions. About this time the publishers awoke to the fact
that any one was at liberty to reprint the book, and the era of cheap
literature was initiated, founded on American reprints which cost the
publisher no royalty. A shilling edition followed the one-and-sixpence,
and then one complete for sixpence. As to the total sale, Mr. Sampson
Low reports: "From April to December, 1852, twelve different editions
(not reissues) were published, and within the twelve months of its first
appearance eighteen different London publishing houses were engaged in
supplying the great demand that had set in, the total number of editions
being forty, varying from fine illustrated editions at 15s., 10s., and
7s. 6d. to the cheap popular editions of 1s. 9d. and 6d. After carefully
analyzing these editions and weighing probabilities with ascertained
facts, I am able pretty confidently to say that the aggregate number of
copies circulated in Great Britain and the colonies exceeds one and a
half millions." Later, abridgments were p