small sum, the price of a complete set usually
averaging little more than a shilling a volume. When the
series was completed, a valuable General Index to the whole
was compiled by Mr. Henry Gough, 1855.

_The Percy Society_ took its name from Bishop Percy, author
of the "Reliques of Ancient English Poetry" (born 1729, died
1811), and was founded for the purpose of bringing to light
important but obscure specimens of Ballad Poetry, or Works
illustrative of that department of Literature. The Society
was dissolved in 1853, but during the thirteen years of its
existence it produced a singularly interesting series of
publications. The number of separate works registered in
Bohn's Appendix to Lowndes's Bibliographer's Manual is 94,
besides "Quippes for Upstart Newfangled Gentlewomen by
Stephen Gosson," which was suppressed, and "Rhyming Satire
on the Pride and Vices of Women Now-a-days, by Charles
Bansley," 1540, which was reprinted in 1841, but not issued.
The set is much sought after, and fetches a good price.

_The Shakespeare Society_ was founded in 1840, to print
books illustrative of Shakespeare and of the literature of
his time, and a very valuable collection of works was issued
to the subscribers during the term of its existence. It was
dissolved in 1853, and the remaining stock was made up into
volumes and sold off. There was much for the Society still
to do; but the controversy arising out of the discovery of
the forgeries connected with John Payne Collier's name made
it difficult for the Shakespearians to work together with
harmony.

In this same year the _Musical Antiquarian Society_ was
founded, and during the seven years of its existence it
issued books of Madrigals, Operas, Songs, Anthems, etc., by
early English composers.

In the following year (1841), the _Motett Society_ was
founded for the publication of Ancient Church Music. Five
parts only, edited by Dr. Rimbault, were issued.

In 1841 the _Society for the Publication of Oriental Texts_
was founded, and a series of works in Syriac, Arabic,
Sanscrit, and Persian was distributed to the subscribers
until 1851, when the Society was dissolved.

_The Wodrow Society_ was instituted in Edinburgh in 1841,
for the publication of the early writers of the Refor