This study investigates the persistent practice of scribal publication in seventeenth-century England, challenging the assumption that the printing press immediately replaced handwritten transmission of texts. Harold Love, a scholar of early modern literature and textual history, utilizes a vast array of archival evidence to demonstrate how manuscript circulation functioned as a sophisticated alternative to print. He argues that scribal culture was not merely a precursor to print but a deliberate choice for authors seeking specific audiences, political security, or social prestige.

Reader & Expert Consensus: Scholars frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the complexities of early modern textual transmission. It is widely regarded as an essential resource for historians and literary critics who study the sociology of authorship.