College and Research Libraries B y L O U I S K A P L A N "Socialistica" of 1800-1850: Rarities and Leading Collections Dr. Kaplan is associate director (public serviceUniversity of Wisconsin Library. CCQOCIALISTICA" is a contrived w o r d in- ^ tended to describe that body of lit- erature w h i c h has socialism at its center, and is surrounded by communism, anarch- ism, labor theory, cooperation and similar concomitant subjects. W i t h respect to such literature, this is a study of rare titles, their prices in the current market, and of leading library collections. T h r o u g h use of the sampling technique an attempt is here made to present a gen- eralized picture. A s the first step, a list of 3 4 titles, all first editions, w a s compiled. O f the 2 6 authors represented, most are w e l l k n o w n , so that f r o m this point of v i e w the titles chosen are assuredly suitable f o r the purpose of sampling. A f e w other authors w e r e selected simply because they are little k n o w n , much in the manner of the teacher w h o in his examinations includes a v e r y difficult question in order to distinguish between those students w h o are good and those w h o are exceptional. O n c e compiled, the list w a s sent f o r checking to thirty-seven libraries, all of which responded. B e l o w is the list, ar- ranged in the order of infrequency w i t h which the titles w e r e located. T h e numeral preceding each author's name indicates the number of copies reported. o Blanc, Louis. Organisation du travail. Paris, 1839. 0 Weitling, Wilhelm. Menschheit . . . Paris, 1838. 1 Leroux, Pierre. De I'egalite. Boussac, 1838. 1 Winkelblech, K a r l Georg. ( K a r l Mario, pseud.). Untersuchungen iiber die Organ- isation der Arbeit. Cassel, 1848-59. 3 v. 2 Marx, Karl. Manifest der komm. Partei. London, 1848. 2 Rodbertus, Johann Karl. Sociale briefe an von Kirchtnann. Berlin, 1850-51. 3 Cabet, Etienne. Voyage en Icarie. Paris, 1840. 3 Hall, Charles. Effects of Civilization in European States. London, 1805. 3 Pecqueur, Constantin. De la republique de Dieu. Paris, 1844. 3 Proudhon, Pierre J. Qu'est-ce que la pro- priety? Paris, 1840. 4 Hodgskin, Thomas. Labour Defended Against the Claims of Capital. London, 1825. 5 Pecqueur, Constantin. Theorie nouvelle d'economie sociale . . . Paris, 1842. 5 Saint-Simon, Claude Henri. Nouveau Chris- tianisme. Paris, 1825. 5 Thunen, Johann Heinrich von. Isolierte Staat . . . Hamburg, 1826. Teil I. 6 Byllesby, Langdon. Observations on the Sources and Effects of Unequal Wealth. N.Y., 1826. 6 Gall, Ludwig. Meine Ausivanderung . . . T r i e r , 1822. 7 Fourier, Francois Marie Charles. Theorie des quatre mouvements. Leipzig, 1808. 7 Schmidt, Johann K a s p a r . Einzige und sein Eigenthum. Leipzig, 1845. 7 Thompson, William. Labour Rewarded. London, 1827. 7 W a r r e n , Josiah. Equitable Commerce. New Harmony, 1846. 8 Gray, John. Lecture on Human Happiness. London, 1825. 8 Heinzen, K a r l . Preussische Bureaukratie. Darmstadt, 1845. 8 Marx, K a r l . Misere de la philosophie. Brussels, 1847. 8 Weitling, Wilhelm. Garantien der Har- monic und Freiheit. Vevey, 1842. 9 Heinzen, K a r l . Teutsche Revolution. Bern, 1847. 9 Stein, Lorenz Jacob von. Socialismus und Communismus . . . Leipzig, 1842. 10 Leroux, Pierre. De I'humanite. Paris, 1840. 2 v. 402 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES 11 Engels, Friedrich. Lage der arbeitcndcn Klasse in England. Leipzig, 1845. 12 Proudhon, Pierre Joseph. Systeme des con- tradictions economiques. Paris, 1846. 13 Owen, Robert. New View of Society. Lon- don, 1813-14. 14 Bray, John Francis. Labour's Wrongs and Labour's Remedy. Leeds, 1839. 16 Owen, Robert. Book of the New Moral World. London, 1836. pt. 1. 17 Skidmore, Thomas. Rights of Man to Prop- erty. N.Y., 1829. 17 Thompson, William. Inquiry into the Prin- ciples . . . London, 1824. T o summarize the a b o v e : 2 titles w e r e unlocated. 1 2 titles w e r e located in f r o m 1 to 5 li- braries. 1 3 titles w e r e located in f r o m 6 to 1 0 li- braries. 7 titles w e r e located in f r o m 1 1 to 1 7 li- braries. O f the 3 4 titles, 2 5 % w e r e reported by three or less libraries. E x c e p t f o r H a r v a r d and C o l u m b i a , no li- brary reported as many as half of the thirty- f o u r titles. L e a d i n g collections are at H a r - v a r d ( 2 6 ) , C o l u m b i a ( 2 4 ) , M i c h i g a n ( 1 4 ) , N e w Y o r k P u b l i c ( 1 4 ) , Wisconsin ( 1 3 ) , L i b r a r y of Congress ( 1 2 ) , Illinois1' ( 1 1 ) , Y a l e ( 1 1 ) , Boston P u b l i c ( 1 0 ) , C h i c a g o ( 1 0 ) , J o h n s Hopkins ( 1 0 ) , and N o r t h w e s t e r n ( 1 0 ) . D o these statistics indicate a lack of inter- est in the collecting of "socialistica" ? O n this point there is the evidence of the E n g - lish collector, H . S. F o x w e l l . W r i t i n g about 1 9 2 8 , F o x w e l l s a i d : " W h e n I began collecting, books n o w eagerly competed f o r at Sotheby's by dealers w i t h commissions f r o m G e r m a n y , H o l l a n d and A m e r i c a w e r e t h r o w n aside f o r their value as paper to the book-stall keepers . . . f r o m w h o m I bought hundreds of valuable volumes at nominal p r i c e s . " 1 F u r t h e r evidence of interest in early 1 Similar evidence is offered in a letter to the author by Mr. Stanley Wheeler of Harding's Bookshop. "socialistica" can be f o u n d in the persistent appearance of doctoral dissertations on the subject, in the publication of articles in learned j o u r n a l s , and f i n a l l y , in the w r i t i n g of monographs by well-seasoned scholars. R a t h e r than lack of interest, it is the absence of p l e n t i f u l opportunities to pur- chase w h i c h explains w h y some titles are seldom f o u n d . A n examination of dealers' catalogs of the past ten years reveals that of the thirty-four titles, 1 2 w e r e not found a single time, 7 w e r e cataloged but once, and 1 0 either t w o or three times. T h e re- maining 5 w e r e cataloged f r o m f o u r to seven times.2 I n this last group w e r e O w e n (both t i t l e s ) , Proudhon (Systeme), Schmidt, and T h o m p s o n (Labour Rewarded). Some of these titles, according to such dealers as L e o n K r a m e r and H u g o Streis- land, have not been cataloged in the pres- ent century. E x a m p l e s are those by W a r - ren, T h i i n e n , and W e i t l i n g (Menschheit). O t h e r s which perhaps have appeared but once in this century are those by H o d g s k i n , H a l l , B l a n c , W i n k e l b l e c h , and G a l l . Closely related is the question of the number of copies which w e r e printed of these titles. O n this point the evidence is understandably scanty. T h e Manifesto w a s given an edition of 1 0 0 0 copies. E v e n smaller w e r e the editions of T h i i n e n ( 5 0 0 ) , and M a r x ' s Misere ( 8 0 0 ) . O f O w e n ' s Book of the New Moral World, 7 5 0 copies w e r e printed. W e i t l i n g ' s Menschheit, financed by w o r k e r s w h o pawned their possessions, had an edition of 2 0 0 0 . A s f o r P r o u d h o n ' s f a m o u s book on property, the number of copies cannot be stated w i t h c e r t a i n t y ; but at least one publisher w a s w i l l i n g to risk 2 0 0 0 copies. E v e n the second edition of this successful book w a s given but 3 5 0 0 copies.3 2 Obviously, only the catalogs of specialty dealers were inspected. The reader must also bear in mind that some books are sold by dealers minus the f a n f a r e of a catalog. 3 For the Owen statistic I am indebted to the Co- OCTOBER, 1953 403 T o lend greater meaning to these figures, comparison might be made w i t h the size of editions in the early years of E n g l i s h printing. O n this subject, one scholar has recently w r i t t e n : " W e shall not be f a r w r o n g in thinking that v e r y special reasons w e r e required to persuade a printer to print more than 6 0 0 - 7 0 0 copies of any o r d i n a r y w o r k in the first seventy-five years of print- ing in E n g l a n d . " 4 T o put this matter similarly f o r " s o c i a l i s t i c a " of 1 8 0 0 - 1 8 5 0 : only unusual circumstances w o u l d persuade a publisher to risk more than 1 0 0 0 copies. I n the past ten years prices of these books have risen considerably. W i t h o u t question, the most costly item today is the original edition of the Manifesto w h i c h w a s cata- loged in 1 9 4 6 at $ 4 7 5 . O f the other titles, W e i t l i n g ' s Garantien and C a b e t ' s Voyage w e r e priced between $ 7 5 and $ioo.5 I n the $ 3 0 to $ 5 0 group w e r e P e c q u e u r (both t i t l e s ) , F o u r i e r , Saint-Simon, T h o m p - son (both t i t l e s ) , Skidmore, O w e n and P r o u d h o n ( S y s t e m e ) ; some of these are titles w h i c h are w i d e l y held. O n the other hand, less commonly met w i t h titles such as those by H e i n z e n , L e r o u x (Hmnanite), Schmidt, and Stein have been priced at less than $ 3 0 . W i t h i n the general field of " s o c i a l i s t i c a " a f e w special collections might be men- tioned. P r o b a b l y the best collections of the w o r k s of R o b e r t O w e n can be f o u n d at C o l u m b i a and V a s s a r . C o l u m b i a also possesses unusual strength in the w r i t i n g s of the C h a r t i s t s . D u k e has a collection of about 8 5 0 books, pamphlets, periodicals and manuscripts relating to the F o u r i e r movement. M i c h i g a n o w n s the J o h n F r a n - cis B r a y papers, and w i t h i n its L a b a d i e L a b o r Collection there is a w e a l t h of ma- operative Union of Manchester, England. A l l others were found in published sources. 4 Bennett, H . S . , English Books and Readers, 1475- 1557- Cambridge, 1952. p. 228. ® With the exception of the Pecqueur and Fourier items which fell into the hands of a "carriage trade" dealer. terial on anarchism.6 A number of col- lections pertaining to the A m e r i c a n " c o m - m u n i t a r i a n " settlements could be cited, but these w o u l d be merely repetitious of the items f o u n d in A r t h u r B e s t o r ' s doctoral thesis on F o u r i e r i s m , and in his recently p u b l i s h e d Backwoods Utopias. A f e w rare periodicals should also be men- tioned. T h e Rheinische Zeitung, edited by M a r x , could not be located. A n o t h e r M a r x i a n - e d i t e d j o u r n a l , the Neue Rhein- ische Zeitung, can be f o u n d in complete state only at Illinois. T h e Urwaehler, a rare j o u r n a l edited by W e i t l i n g , of w h i c h only five issues appeared, is located only at W i s c o n s i n . I t s successor, the Urwaehler- Zeitung is owned by H a r v a r d . O t h e r periodicals, of w h i c h no more than t w o or three complete files can be f o u n d in this country are the Producteur, edited by Saint- S i m o n ; the Revue du progres politique, edited by B l a n c ; the Revue independante, edited by L e r o u x ; and the Salut du peuple, edited by P e c q u e u r . E x a m p l e s can also be cited of periodicals of w h i c h no complete file can be f o u n d . T h i s is true of the Saint-Simonian j o u r n a l , the Organisateur, a n d of the Globe, journal philosophique et litteraire, edited by L e r o u x . A n o t h e r example is the Workingman's Ad- vocate, a newspaper edited by G e o r g e H . E v a n s . E v e n more illustrative of the rarity of some newspapers is the Deutsche Schnell- post, a H e i n z e n paper w h i c h C a r l W i t t k e , H e i n z e n ' s biographer, could not find in this country. O b v i o u s l y , a good deal of " s o c i a l i s t i c a " must be put d o w n either as rare or scarce. F o r t u n a t e l y f o r librarians, f r o m the v i e w - point of prices, this is a field in w h i c h pri- vate collectors are i n f r e q u e n t l y f o u n d . F u r t h e r m o r e , the number of librarian- (Continued on page 409) 6 The famous collections of manuscript material at the New York Public and at the State Historical Society of Wisconsin are pertinent to the period a f t e r 1850. 404 COLLEGE AND RESEARCH LIBRARIES catalog prove impossible, the material col- lected shall be given to the T r u s t e e s of the N a t i o n a l C e n t r a l L i b r a r y , f o r use in such a w a y as w i l l best supplement their records of periodicals in E n g l i s h l i b r a r i e s . " H o w - ever, every e f f o r t is being made to insure its publication. T h e British have great feeling f o r their national treasures and are doing a fine job of keeping and preserving them. T h e F r i e n d s of the N a t i o n a l L i b r a r i e s , which assists the national, university, and munic- ipal libraries, is enthusiastically supported. O f course the U . S . is too large a nation to organize a " F r i e n d s " group f o r the entire country as has been done in G r e a t B r i t a i n , and probably should continue to concentrate on F r i e n d s of individual libraries. H o w - ever, w e might w e l l take a suggestion f r o m the British and organize state groups in order to help keep w i t h i n state borders the literary and historical heritage of each state. F u t u r e contemplated activities of B N B include analytical entries f o r articles in periodicals prepared perhaps w i t h the aid of university, special and reference libraries of the c o u n t r y ; a British index of subject head- i n g s ; directions f o r classified c a t a l o g i n g ; a national bibliography of m u s i c ; and possibly a card service f o r those libraries h a v i n g card catalogs. Some of the libraries in A m e r i c a already s u b s c r i b i n g to the English Catalog of Books a n d / o r Whitaker's Cumulative Book List may feel that they cannot a f f o r d B N B as w e l l . B N B has several advantages over these t w o publications—it has a classified subject arrangement, a w i d e r scope, a much f u l l e r entry, and a more up-to-the-minute list of books being published in E n g l a n d thus g i v i n g A m e r i c a n libraries a better opportunity to obtain copies before they go out of p r i n t — a disappointment experienced by so many in recent years. I t is possible and desirable when placing orders w i t h book dealers in L o n d o n to order by the serial number given in the B N B j u s t as L C cards are n o w ordered by the L C number. I t w o u l d appear that libraries in the U . S . buying books published in G r e a t B r i t a i n should do more of their ordering direct f r o m E n g l i s h dealers. T h e E n g l i s h dealers are prepared to give quicker service and should be able to a l l o w the purchasing l i b r a r y a greater discount than can be re- ceived f r o m agents in A m e r i c a . B y using the B N B serial number a large book order could be sent by air mail f o r only IO0 and at the same time reduce the amount of paper w o r k necessary w h e n using author, title, etc. I w o u l d point out M r . W . J . M c E l d o w - ney's article in the New Zealand Libraries f o r J u l y 1 9 5 1 to those libraries w h o may feel that the Cumulative Book Index w i l l meet their need f o r E n g l i s h books. M r . M c E l d o w n e y states that in comparing an issue of the B N B w i t h the C B I — " t h e r e are 3 3 5 items listed in this issue of the B N B , of w h i c h f e w e r than half had made the C B I by nearly nine months l a t e r . " "Socialistica" (Continued fr collectors is still small, perhaps less than t w o dozen. B u t also f e w in number are the dealers w h o specialize in "socialistica," so that the supply by no means equals the demand. A l l in all, this is a subject which of 1800-1850 )m page 404) can be recommended to most librarians. T h e r e is competition enough to challenge the combative, and opportunity enough to sustain those w h o require occasional encouragement. OCTOBER, 1953 409