Since "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy* has been selected by the National Council of Women as one of the one hundred best books of the century, and one of the three books on religion in this list, additional interest has been attracted to this book which has comforted, healed, and blessed many thousands during its almost sixty years of circulation.
In some early records, the following data has come to light regarding the first issuance of Science and Health in the fall of 1875, after many trials and obstacles had been overcome by its author. The publisher, one of Mrs. Eddy's students, began his sales on November 1 in that year with one thousand books for disposal. During the first six months, that is, up to May 1, 1876, two hundred and thirty-five copies had been sold, an average of thirty-nine a month. By adopting the usual methods of publishers the sales increased to an average of fifty-three a month for the next eight months; the heaviest sales were made in October, November, and December, 1876, eighty-eight copies being sold in the last-named month.
The usual advertising methods of publishers included the sending out of fourteen books for the purpose of obtaining reviews. Six of them went to periodicals, among which were the Church Advocate, the Star Spangled Banner, the Palmer (Massachusetts) Journal, the Needham (Massachusetts) Chronicle. One copy went to the State Normal School at Bridgewater, Massachusetts, one to Andover Theological Seminary (Bible Revision Department), and others evidently to writers or publishers. Several thousand circulars were printed and sent out. More than five hundred dollars was expended for advertising, of which fifty-eight dollars was paid for advertising in Boston newspapers during June and July, 1876. In January and February, 1877, Mrs. Eddy herself took eighty-six copies for sale. The publisher sold the remainder by July 2, at an average of about fifty-six per month.
