§ The effect upon the sale of an article by the absence of its price may be illustrated by another example. Some years ago a large bazaar was held for some charitable object at the Hanover Square Rooms. It was patronised by the highest rank, and the beauty of the fair shopkeepers was even more attractive than the wares they had to dispose of. A collector thought this a favourable opportunity of adding to his collection a vase of porphyry: having paid the admission fee of 5_s._, he entered, and soon perceived some beautiful specimens of the object he desired. Having looked at them for some time, he selected in his mind one which he would willingly have purchased if it were within the limit (10_l._) which he had assigned for the gratification of his taste. There was, however, no price attached to any of the vases, and fearing that they were all beyond his means, he reluctantly departed without the wished-for acquisition. It happened that he mentioned in the course of the next year the circumstance to a friend who was acquainted with the history of the vase in question. The vase for which he would willingly have given 10_l._ was not sold at that bazaar, but some time after it appeared at a less fashionable bazaar And was sold for 5_l._ § Most of those who visit the Exposition will each according to their means wish to retain some memorial of it. Many will have been economising during the previous year in order to purchase some object of utility or of pleasure either for their own use or to take back as remembrances to their family and friends. It would be very difficult amidst the vast variety of attractions, even if the price of each were marked upon it, to select the most desirable article within those limits of expense to which each purchaser is confined. But by forbidding the marking of prices, this difficulty is converted into an impossibility. The first step according to the decree of the Commissioners, would be to go round and ask the price of at least a hundred, if not a thousand articles. These must be written down by each inquirer unless the Exhibitors supply him with printed lists. Even if he make a selection out of these, it is a hundred to one that some other article in the enormous collection would, if he had known its price, have pleased him better.