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Diderot's Letter on the book trade, Paris (1763)
Source: Bibliothèque nationale de France : Mss. Fr. (Naf) 24232 n°3
Citation:
Diderot's Letter on the book trade, Paris (1763), Primary Sources on Copyright (1450-1900), eds L. Bently & M. Kretschmer, www.copyrighthistory.org
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in the city, and a few traders dreamed of moving on and setting up shop on the other side
of the river. The guild, which had turned what had been a measure of convenience into a
rigorous law, opposed this development, and the syndics and assistants, responsible for
the internal policing of their guild, said that since inspecting foreign books already
took up a great deal of their time, they would not have the means to carry out inspections
on printed books if the booksellers spread out over a larger area, with greater distances
between one another.
This led to various rulings by the Council and the Parlement made various rulings, and
to declarations relating to the booksellers’ code under article 12 of the 1723 regulation,
which forbids Parisian printers and booksellers from establishing their shops outside of the
University quarter.
This small precinct was strictly reserved for those who both sold books from their
stores and stalls, and who also printed and published works themselves. As for those who only
published, they were granted permission to work inside the Palace, and a few others, whose
trade was restricted to books of hours and small prayer books, were permitted to work in the
Palace surroundings and to spread as far as the Quai de Gesvres.
All this policing of booksellers’ and publishers’ locations has been confirmed since 1600
by a series of sentences, rulings and declarations; it has survived even after the reduction
of the number of printers in Paris to thirty-six. It still remains, even though none of the
reasons for its original institution still apply. Just as much as the former state of the book
trade and of letters seemed to demand these measures, so their current state now demands their
reform.
The typographical art has such close links to religion, mores, government and public order
that, in order to enable inspections to be carried out easily and promptly, perhaps it is wise
to enclose printing presses in the smallest possible space. If the regulation which restricts
them to the University quarter is maintained, that is all very well. But as for the bookshops,
which are inspected less frequently, it is rare for the publicity generated by the sale of a
questionable work not to lead directly to the location of the offender, and for subsequent
action, when necessary, to be delayed or prevented by any obstacle.
Besides, that part of the city which is outside the University precinct is the larger part.
There are religious houses, ecclesiastical communities, lawyers, men of letters and readers of
all sorts. Every wealthy man, and every modest individual who is not brutish, has his own library,
be it small or large. However, when the old rules which concentrated booksellers in a small space
continued to be applied, when the interests of these traders and public convenience called for
them to be spread around the city, a few destitute men decided to put a bag on their shoulders,
filled with books they had bought or taken on credit from the booksellers’ shops; a few poor women,
following their example, filled their aprons likewise, and together they crossed the bridges and
went knocking on the doors of private houses. The booksellers, whose turnover they increased, gave
them a small discount which encouraged them. Their numbers grew
No Transcription available.
Source: Bibliothèque nationale de France : Mss. Fr. (Naf) 24232 n°3
Citation:
Diderot's Letter on the book trade, Paris (1763), Primary Sources on Copyright (1450-1900), eds L. Bently & M. Kretschmer, www.copyrighthistory.org
Back | Record | Images | Commentaries: [1]
Translation only | Transcription only | Show all | Bundled images as pdf
in the city, and a few traders dreamed of moving on and setting up shop on the other side
of the river. The guild, which had turned what had been a measure of convenience into a
rigorous law, opposed this development, and the syndics and assistants, responsible for
the internal policing of their guild, said that since inspecting foreign books already
took up a great deal of their time, they would not have the means to carry out inspections
on printed books if the booksellers spread out over a larger area, with greater distances
between one another.
This led to various rulings by the Council and the Parlement made various rulings, and
to declarations relating to the booksellers’ code under article 12 of the 1723 regulation,
which forbids Parisian printers and booksellers from establishing their shops outside of the
University quarter.
This small precinct was strictly reserved for those who both sold books from their
stores and stalls, and who also printed and published works themselves. As for those who only
published, they were granted permission to work inside the Palace, and a few others, whose
trade was restricted to books of hours and small prayer books, were permitted to work in the
Palace surroundings and to spread as far as the Quai de Gesvres.
All this policing of booksellers’ and publishers’ locations has been confirmed since 1600
by a series of sentences, rulings and declarations; it has survived even after the reduction
of the number of printers in Paris to thirty-six. It still remains, even though none of the
reasons for its original institution still apply. Just as much as the former state of the book
trade and of letters seemed to demand these measures, so their current state now demands their
reform.
The typographical art has such close links to religion, mores, government and public order
that, in order to enable inspections to be carried out easily and promptly, perhaps it is wise
to enclose printing presses in the smallest possible space. If the regulation which restricts
them to the University quarter is maintained, that is all very well. But as for the bookshops,
which are inspected less frequently, it is rare for the publicity generated by the sale of a
questionable work not to lead directly to the location of the offender, and for subsequent
action, when necessary, to be delayed or prevented by any obstacle.
Besides, that part of the city which is outside the University precinct is the larger part.
There are religious houses, ecclesiastical communities, lawyers, men of letters and readers of
all sorts. Every wealthy man, and every modest individual who is not brutish, has his own library,
be it small or large. However, when the old rules which concentrated booksellers in a small space
continued to be applied, when the interests of these traders and public convenience called for
them to be spread around the city, a few destitute men decided to put a bag on their shoulders,
filled with books they had bought or taken on credit from the booksellers’ shops; a few poor women,
following their example, filled their aprons likewise, and together they crossed the bridges and
went knocking on the doors of private houses. The booksellers, whose turnover they increased, gave
them a small discount which encouraged them. Their numbers grew
No Transcription available.