As a rule the life of works of fiction is very short, except in special cases. The life of works of an author of, say, two or three books, would probably be about three to six months, so for books in this class a limit of twelve months should be allowed before a cheap edition is issued, and according to the popularity of the author, these times should vary up to two or three years before cheap editions of books by authors of long standing are issued, and also the better edition should be cleared from the bookseller's shelves before the cheaper edition is published. From a bookseller's point of view, there is no language too strong in condemnation of the system now much in vogue, that a 2_s._ edition of a 6_s._ novel may be issued, and both editions kept in circulation at the same time. Editions selling at various prices are often sold by the author to different publishers, and each price is supposed to appeal to a different public. Can a bookseller be expected to keep a stock of all these editions? If so, his stock of cheap reprints would demand a special warehouse. The most reasonable course to pursue in all cheap issues is first to see if there is a public to which a cheap edition would appeal, settle a moderate price at which it should be published, allowing a fair profit to the trade, and after a sufficient time has been given for the original edition to have a good run, there may be issued the cheap edition, which, while appealing to a fresh public, will be remunerative to the author and publisher, and, let us hope, a help to civilization and the betterment of mankind. Much the same argument applies to the speculative religious work. There would not, of course, be so many different editions, but if the book in its special issue is of a distinctly argumentative character, and appeals to a thoughtful and intelligent public, a cheap edition is desirable, not only because it will sell, but because it will make people think, and truth is generally brought to the surface and put into operation by a public who thinks. I am, therefore, convinced that when due time and consideration have been given to a book, a cheap edition is often not only advisable, but necessary.