Chaucer, "Poetical Works" 38 9 5
Milton, "Poetical Works" 19 8
Longfellow, "Poetical Works" 14 15 2 10 3 3
Emerson, "Essays" 48 13
Ward, "English Poets" 13 2 6

There are of course exceptions to the rule that circulation decreases
steadily from volume to volume. Here are a few:

Vol. Vol. Vol. Vol.
I. II. III. IV.

Fiske, "Old Virginia" 26 24
Spears, "History of the Navy" 44 39 36 36
Andrews, "Last Quarter Century" 8 8
Kennan, "Siberia" 15 13

In the case of the two-volume works the interest-sustaining power may not
always be as great as would appear, because when the reader desires it,
two volumes are given out as one; but the stamps on the dating-slips show
that this fact counted for little in the present instances.

I would not assume that the inferences in the present article are of any
special value. The statistical facts are the thing. So far as I know, no
one has called attention to them before, and they are certainly worthy of
all interest and attention.