one who trades in books, whether he prints them himself, or gives them to be printed by others.

Vol. II. they have always been distinguished from the vulgar and mechanical traders, and exempted from divers taxes and impositions laid upon other companies.

The traffic of books was anciently very inconsiderable, insomuch that the book-mechants of England, France, Spain, and other countries, were distinguished by the appellation of stationers, as having no shops, but only stalls and stands in the streets. During this state, the civil magistrates took little notice of the book-sellers, leaving the government of them to the universities, to whom they were supposed more immediate retainers; who accordingly gave them laws and regulations, fixed prices on their books, examined their correctness, and punished them at discretion.

But when, by the invention of printing, books and bookellers began to multiply, it became a matter of more consequence; and the sovereigns took the direction of them into their own hands, giving them new statutes, appointing officers to fix prices, and granting licences, privileges, &c.