From the Papers: Printing Science and Health to meet demand

“We shall go to press, at once, with 26th edition,” wrote John Wilson and Son, the Boston firm that printed Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. They were corresponding with the author, Mary Baker Eddy, on January 26, 1887. “We are in receipt of yours of yesterday, with cheque. Please find receipted bill enclosed.”¹

Less than a year earlier, the 16th edition—considered a major revision of Eddy’s textbook—had been published, in February 1886. A previous article in this series, Sales of Science and Health, documented the arrival of that edition and highlighted the numerous ways that orders for it were fulfilled. Now, 10 editions later, the publication of the 26th highlighted how demand was driving successive printings. In our work, the Mary Baker Eddy Papers team continues to learn more about how the book was being distributed.

These printings were often runs of 1,000 copies, each counting as an “edition.” The 418 numbered editions of Science and Health reflect this use of the term.² Eddy’s correspondence makes it apparent that these successive publications of approximately 1,000 copies a month were driven by incoming orders.

Many people ordered one book at a time. Others, acting as agents, sent in multiple requests for dozens of copies or more at a time. For example, in February 1887 the Truth Seeker Company wrote, “Please send us 25 copies of Science & Health per N. Y. & Boston Despatch[.]”³ The day before, Redhead, Norton, and Lathrop—a bookseller in Des Moines, Iowa—wrote, “Please find enclosed draft for $48⁰⁰ for which please send to Houghton Mifflin & Co to pack 24 Science & Health[.]”⁴ And that same month, Frederick “Fred” W. Bunnell asked for 12 copies to distribute through his Christian Science practice in Kearney, Nebraska.⁵

The need for continual printings is also evident in Charles C. Parker’s March 1 letter to Eddy, which said simply, “I am continually having calls for ‘Mrs Eddy’s Book’ on Christian Science. Please quote trade price.” Parker, who owned his own bookstore, went on to sell Science and Health as an agent.⁶ Eddy herself responded to another prospective agent that same day and explained her terms for selling the textbook: “I will furnish you with them in lots of 12 or more copies, for 33 1/3 % discount C.O.D. provided you hold the retail price at $3.00 per copy, our regular price.”⁷ She wanted to ensure that everyone was charging the same price, while giving those who resold multiple copies the opportunity to make money for serving as agents.

It is also interesting to note that, although these relatively small print runs often incorporated changes Eddy made to the text along the way as she regularly refined her message, the invoice from John Wilson and Son for the 26th edition shows that only the edition number and date were changed. For that edition’s two small edits, she paid $19.80 in today’s money.⁸ At that time the printing process was labor-intensive. Changes were made by hand, and, while those particular revisions were inexpensive, large changes to the text could cost her a lot more, as each change potentially also impacted any successive pages and the printing plates.

By March 10 the 27th edition of Science and Health had been sent to the binder, and Eddy had already bought the paper for the 28th edition.⁹ In barely a year, she had sold her way through more than 10 printings—and the demand was only growing.