HC Deb 03 August 1850 vol 113 c761

The Resolutions of the Committee of Supply were brought up.

MR. HUTT

took the opportunity of calling attention to the want of liberality in the publication and distribution of the historical work called Monumenta Historica Britannica, urging that as the country had paid 10,000l. towards such publication, the price of 21. 2s. per volume now charged was far too high. The charge originally had been 51. 5s. a volume, but that high price had acted almost as a prohibition to the circulation of the book, only six copies having been sold of it; and at the reduced price, out of an edition of 600, only forty-six copies had been disposed of. He thought, under the circumstances, the book should be sold for the cost of the paper and printing.

MR. CORNEWALL LEWIS

hoped that the 21. 2s. would be found sufficiently low to place the work in the hands of the public at large; if not, the subject should be taken into consideration.

MR. HUME

thought the price should be so reduced as to bring the work within the reach of the bulk of the people. He suggested that a copy of the work should be sent to every public library.

Resolutions agreed to.

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