Page:The Life of Mary Baker G. Eddy.djvu/219

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HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN SCIENCE
177

in the publication of the book, when it was at last brought out; but two of Mrs. Glover's students, Miss Elizabeth Newhall and George Barry, were prevailed upon to advance $1,500. Owing, however, to the many changes in the proofs which Mrs. Glover made after the plates were cast, the edition cost $2,200, which Miss Newhall and Mr. Barry paid. Mrs. Glover, in spite of her reluctance to risk money on it, believed intensely in her book, and from the first she declared that it would sell. Even when the first edition of 1,000 copies fell flat on the market and Daniel Spofford was obliged to peddle them about personally, Mrs. Glover did not lose confidence in the future of her book, but immediately set about revising the volume for a second edition.

Mrs. Glover and Mr. Spofford advertised the book by means of handbills and through the newspapers, printing testimonials of the wonderful cures made by the application of the science, and urging all to buy the book which would tell them all about it. Copies were sent to the leading New England newspapers for review, accompanied by a request to the editors to print nothing about the book if a favourable notice could not be given. This request was respected by some of the papers, but others criticised the book severely or referred to it flippantly. Copies were also sent to the University of Heidelberg, to Thomas Carlyle, and to several noted theologians and literary men. But the book made no stir, and outside of the little band of devoted Christian Scientists, its advent was unobserved. Whatever imperishable doctrine the book may have contained it was not suggested by the outward form of the volume, which was an ill-made, cheap-looking affair. It contained 456 pages