10s. The “Modern Painters,” 5 vols., early editions, from £20 to £25.
Shelley.—The early editions of Shelley’s Poems and Prose Treatises were amongst the first of this class of books to attain high prices. Some may be noted here in chronological order:—
“Zastrozzi: a Romance,” 1810, was published at 5s. Bound and cut copies have sold for £5, 15s., and £12, 5s. An uncut copy, in calf, fetched £12, 5s. in 1890, and an uncut copy in morocco brought fifteen guineas in 1897 (Sir C. S. Forbes).
The most interesting of these pamphlets is the one which was the cause of its author being expelled from University College, Oxford.
“The Necessity of Atheism. Worthing. Printed by E. & W. Phillips. Sold in London and Oxford,” n.d. [1811] f. 8vo, pp. 13.
Nearly all the copies were destroyed by the printers, and Mr. Slater values a clean copy at about £20, but probably it would realise