Excerpt from Memorials of the McMath Family: Including a Genealogical Account of the Descendants of Archibald McMath, Who Was Born in Scotland About the Year 1700

The work was taken up and carried forward in intervals of relax ation from more laborious pursuits and to divert the mind from less healthy channels. There has been no thought of pecuniary profit.

It was not the intention to publish a book when we commenced the work, but the large amount of interesting matter concerning the family which came into our hands led us to consider that idea as the only means of making it accessible to those of the family who might feel interested. Those who happened to see the manuscript, expressed in such commendatory terms their desire to possess a copy in print, the compiler's sense of its increasing value as time went on and one after another of the aged members of the family whose memories had been drawn upon for important dates and facts, passed away, and our manuscript became (in many instances) the only remaining witness of those facts, these considerations determined its publication. It is quite probable that the book may possess more interest and value than if undertaken and published as a matter of business. It is improbable that the returns from sales will pay the expense of printing and bind ing. A preliminary canvass resulted in about forty subscriptions. No matter what price may be fixed upon the book, not more than one hundred and fifty copies are at all likely to be sold, judging from the experience of others in the same field. The cost of printing five hun dred copies and binding one hundred (even in this modest dress) is something over four hundred dollars. It will thus be seen that the chance of realizing any return for the several hundreds Of dollars spent in gathering the material is very remote. Moreover, it is intended that every member of the family who so desires shall possess a copy of the book, and the matter of price shall not stand in the way.

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