---

after all, I had paid for it dearly
enough, and neither the author nor the
publisher has any right to protest about
this - for the former had sold it to
the latter, and he in his turn had sold
it to me - and I am entitled to do
whatever I please with my own property -
all the more so, given that the purpose
of my actions is to benefit others.
      What else is the deluxe edition of
Wieland's "Complete Works"* or that of
Klopstock's "Works"** if not a reprint?
Wieland made amendments to his already
published works, and Göschen in Leipzig
printed these improved texts without
making any previous arrangement with the
original publisher. Göschen brought out
not just a number of expensive editions,
but also a cheaper [standard] edition.***
He is therefore also a reprinter (in
addition to being a 'Nettobuchhändler'),
but with the one difference: that he
raises the prices of the reprinted wares,
whereas the other reprinters lower them.
One wonders which of the two, from the
economic point of view, does more good
to the public?
      Furthermore, reprinting cannot be
illegal also for the simple reason that

___________

* The legendary quarto edition of Wieland's
"Complete Works", brought out in 36 volumes
by the Leipzig-based publisher G. J. Göschen
between 1794 and 1802. Online reference:
http://www.typolexikon.de/g/goeschen-georg.html

** Another major edition undertaken by Göschen
in seven volumes between 1798 and 1809.

*** In 1798, at the same time as he started
publication of the deluxe edition of Klopstock's
"Works", Göschen also began to publish a 'Normal-
ausgabe' of these (the twelfth and final volume
of which appeared in 1817).