The Literary History of Philadelphia

ature of greater value than that which reached the people through the newspaper and the almanac were growing is clearly indicated by the changes effected in the character of the publishing trade in Philadelphia. Franklin, Bradford and the other printers of newspapers, pamphlets and almanacs, rarely issued a work that might be held to possess true literary merit. With the addition of Robert Bell, James Humphreys, Andrew Steuart and Robert Aitken to Philadelphia's group of publishers, the situation in a literary way underwent a marked improvement. Bell, who was a Scotchman, was a particularly valuable acquisition to the list, being incessant in his activity in reprinting for distribution in the colonies works of proven success in England. In 1768 he brought out Johnson's " Rasselas," which was followed by Robertson's "History of Charles V" in three volumes; Blackstone's " Commentaries " in four volumes; Sterne's " Sentimental Journey," " Paradise Lost," Lady Montagu's " Letters and Poems," " Robinson Crusoe," Adam Ferguson's " Essay on the History of Civil Society," and many popular English novels. Even while the war was in progress he was enabled to reprint Voltaire, De Rochefoucauld's " Maxims," Young's " Night Thoughts," and other standard works. He was " always attentive to the desire of the public and ever willing to gratify the growing taste for the advancement of literature in America," said Bell. His doctrine was that " the more books are sold the more wi...