Letter from Sherman Leland to members of the Leland family offering his book for sale.

I received a copy of this from Robert B. Winn, of Plano, Texas.  He discovered the book, The Leland Magazine, in a distant cousin's basement around the end of May, 2002.  The book was still in its original wrapping with this cover letter.  It had been purchased by Rev. Harvey Barker of Plymouth, Michigan and sent as a gift to his siter Pamelia, Mrs. Daniel Dunn.
Richard M. Leland III

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Boston, Mass., August 10th, 1850.         DEAR RELATIVE,----      The Book which has been for two or three years past in the course of preparation for publication, entitled, " The Leland Magazine, or a Genealogical Record of HENRY LELAND, and His Descendants, Cont- aining an account of Nine Thousand Six Hundred  and  Twenty-four Persons, in Ten Generations: and Embracing Nearly? Every Person of the Name of Leland in America from 1653 to 1850," is at length completed, and now ready to be delivered to those who may wish to take it.  It is a large octavo volume, of two hundred and eighty pages, with thirty?two plates, occupying the space of sixty?four pages more. The Plates contain lithographed likenesses of some of the more distinguished members of different branches of the family, among whom are, Mrs Fillmore, the lady of the President of the United States; Rev. John Leland, late of Cheshire, Mass.; Hon. Aaron Leland, late Lieut. Governor of the State of Vermont; Rev. Dr. Aaron W. Leland, of Columbia, S. C.; Hon. Ziba A. Leland, of Auburn, N. Y.; Rev. Dr. Baron Stow of Boston, Mass.; and Mrs. Lord, the lady of the Rev. Dr. Nathan Lord, President of Dartmouth College.     And the subject matter of the Work is arranged in such systematic order, that the relationship between the numerous descendants of HENRY LELAND  whose names appear in it, can be easily seen., Brief sketches are given of the lives of all the descendants, who are in any way distinguished, so far as the information necessary, for the purpose could be obtained. Brief?sketches are also given, in the introductory part of the Work, of the lives of three eminent scholars and divines. of the Leland family in England and Ireland. The effort which has been successfully made as the author believes to furnish a full, complete, and systematic tabular history of the Leland family in America, has been attended with unforeseen labor, difficulty and expense The labor and difficulty of the undertaking, can be but imperfectly appreciated without examining the Book.  The actual cost of the Work, without an allowance for the services of the ? author is $1612 17. The items of expenditure are: for printing the Book, $675.40; for paper, $169.15; for binding 1000 copies, $200; for the plates, $467.62; for stationary, miscellaneous printing, postage, travelling expenses, and clerk hire, $100. But contributions towards the expense of the plates, have been made, and promised to be made, amounting to $320, and deducting this sum from $1612.17, the cost of the Work, leaves the sum of $1292.17, to be paid out of the sales of the Book. To carry into execution, as fully as possible, the original purpose of the author to furnish the Work at so low a price that each family may possess at least one copy, he has caused' one thousand copies to be printed and. bound, nine hundred of them embellished with plates, and one hundred without such embellishment. He does not expect any compensation for his services, but he confidently hopes and expects that his friends and relatives will take such number of books and pay such price for them as to afford a sum sufficient to reimburse the money actually expended by him. He has fixed the price of the copies with plates at $1.50, and those, without, at $1.00. As there are many families who cannot well afford to pay for the Book, the author would respectfully request the friends, who are blessed with the means, to take a liberal number of copies, and distribute them among their less able relatives. The friends who have advanced money for the Work, at the rate of $I .00 the copy, may have the number paid for without the plates or they may have the num- ber paid for, with the plates, by paying the additional sum of fifty cents the copy. No books will be delivered on account of any sum of money advanced or paid to any person but the subscriber, or some agent expressly authorized by him to receive it.  Persons living at a distance; on sending the price, will have the books sent them in such manner as they shall direct. Please direct to the author, at Boston, or Roxbury, Mass. The sum of $2.00 will be charged persons, not of the family, for the book, with plates; and the same sum will be charged members of the family after the expiration of six months. Books may be had at the office of the author,  No. 31 Court street, Boston, or at his house, in Walnut street, Roxbury.                                                                               With Respect and Esteem,                                                                                                                                 SHERMAN LELAND.