conversed with several people of the lower class, who all knew their
national authors, and who all have read many, if not all, of them.
This elevates the lower ranks, and brings them nearer to the higher.
There is hardly any argument or dispute in conversation, in the
higher ranks, about which the lower cannot also converse or give
their opinion. Now, in Germany, since Gellert, there has as yet
been no poet's name familiar to the people. But the quick sale of
the classical authors is here promoted also by cheap and convenient
editions. They have them all bound in pocket volumes, as well as in
a more pompous style. I myself bought Milton in duodecimo for two
shillings, neatly bound; it is such a one as I can, with great
convenience, carry in my pocket. It also appears to me to be a good
fashion, which prevails here, and here only, that the books which
are most read, are always to be had already well and neatly bound.
At stalls, and in the streets, you every now and then meet with a
sort of antiquarians, who sell single or odd volumes; sometimes
perhaps of Shakespeare, etc., so low as a penny; nay, even sometimes
for a halfpenny a piece. Of one of these itinerant antiquarians I
bought the two volumes of the Vicar of Wakefield for sixpence, i.e.
for the half of an English shilling. In what estimation our German
literature is held in England, I was enabled to judge, in some
degree, by the printed proposals of a book which I saw. The title
was, "The Entertaining Museum, or Complete Circulating Library,"
which is to contain a list of all the English classical authors, as
well as translations of the best French, Spanish, Italian, and even
German novels.

The moderate price of this book deserves also to be noticed; as by
such means books in England come more within the reach of the
people; and of course are more generally distributed among them.