按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
oom for the exercise of the collector's taste。 M。 Octave Uzanne； in a tract called 〃Les Caprices d'un Bibliophile；〃 gives some hints on this topic； which may be taken or let alone。 M。 Uzanne has noticed the monotony； and the want of meaning and suggestion in ordinary halfbindings。 The paper or cloth which covers the greater part of the surface of halfbound books is usually inartistic and even ugly。 He proposes to use old scraps of brocade； embroidery； Venice velvet； or what not； and doubtless a covering made of some dead fair lady's train goes well with a romance by Crebillon； and engravings by Marillier。 〃Voici un cartonnage Pompadour de notre invention；〃 says M。 Uzanne； with pride； but he observes that it needs a strong will to make a bookbinder execute such orders。 For another class of books； which our honest English shelves reject with disgust； M。 Uzanne proposes a binding of the skin of the boa constrictor； undoubtedly appropriate and 〃admonishing。〃 The leathers of China and Japan； with their strange tints and gilded devices may be used for books of fantasy； like 〃Gaspard de la Nuit；〃 or the 〃Opium Eater；〃 or Poe's poems； or the verses of Gerard de Nerval。 Here； in short； is an almost unexplored field for the taste of the bibliophile； who； with some expenditure of time； and not much of money； may make halfbinding an art； and give modern books a peculiar and appropriate raiment。
M。 Ambrose Firmin Didot has left some notes on a more serious topic；the colours to be chosen when books are fullbound in morocco。 Thus he would have the 〃Iliad〃 clothed in red； the 〃Odyssey〃 in blue； because the old Greek rhapsodists wore a scarlet cloak when they recited the Wrath of Achilles； a blue one when they chanted of the Return of Odysseus。 The writings of the great dignitaries of the Church； M。 Didot would array in violet； scarlet goes well with the productions of cardinals； philosophers have their sober suit of black morocco； poets like Panard may be dressed in rose colour。 A collector of this sort would like； were it possible； to attire Goldsmith's poems in a 〃coat of Tyrian bloom； satin grain。〃 As an antithesis to these extravagant fancies； we may add that for ordinary books no binding is cheaper； neater； and more durable； than a coat of buckram。
The conditions of a well bound book may be tersely enumerated。 The binding should unite solidity and elegance。 The book should open easily； and remain open at any page you please。 It should never be necessary； in reading； to squeeze back the covers； and no book； however expensively bound； has been properly treated； if it does not open with ease。 It is a mistake to send recently printed books to the binder； especially books which contain engravings。 The printing ink dries slowly； and； in the process called 〃beating；〃 the text is often transferred to the opposite page。 M。 Rouveyre remends that one or two years should pass before the binding of a newly printed book。 The owner will； of course； implore the binder to； spare the margins； and； almost equally of course； the binder； durus arator； will cut them down with his abominable plough。 One is almost tempted to say that margins should always be left untouched； for if once the binder begins to clip he is unable to resist the seductive joy； and cuts the paper to the quick； even into the printed matter。 Mr。 Blades tells a very sad story of a nobleman who handed over some Caxtons to a provincial binder； and received them back MINUS 500 pounds worth of margin。 Margins make a book worth perhaps 400 pounds； while their absence reduces the same volume to the box marked 〃all these at fourpence。〃 Intonsis capillis； with locks unshorn； as Motteley the old dealer used to say； an Elzevir in its paper wrapper may be worth more than the same tome in morocco； stamped with Longepierre's fleece of gold。 But these things are indifferent to bookbinders； new and old。 There lies on the table； as I write； 〃Les Provinciales； ou Les Lettres Ecrites par Louis de Montalte a un Provincial de ses amis； & aux R。R。 P。P。 Jesuites。 A Cologne； Ches PIERRE de la VALLEE； M。DC。LVIII。〃 It is the Elzevir edition； or what passes for such； but the binder has cut down the margin so that the words 〃Les Provinciales〃 almost touch the top of the page。 Often the wretchhe lived； judging by his style； in Derome's time； before the Revolutionhas sliced into the head titles of the pages。 Thus the book； with its old red morocco cover and gilded flowers on the back； is no proper panion for 〃Les Pensees de M。 PASCAL （Wolfganck； 1672）；〃 which some sober Dutchman has left with a fair allowance of margin； an inch 〃taller〃 in its vellum coat than its neighbour in morocco。 Here once more； is 〃LES FASCHEUX； edie de I。 B。 P。 MOLIERE； Representee sur Le Theatre du Palais Royal。 A Paris； Chez GABRIEL QUI； au Palais； dans la Galerie des Prisonniers； a l'Ange Gabriel； M。DCLXIII。 Avec privilege du Roy。〃 What a crowd of pleasant memories the bibliophile； and he only； finds in these dry words of the title。 Qui； the bookseller； lived 〃au Palais；〃 in that pretty old arcade where Corneille cast the scene of his edy； 〃La Galerie du Palais。〃 In the Geneva edition of Corneille； 1774； you can see Gravelot's engraving of the place； it is a print full of exquisite charm （engraved by Le Mure in 1762）。 Here is the long arcade； in shape exactly like the galleries of the Bodleian Library at Oxford。 The bookseller's booth is arched over； and is open at front and side。 Dorimant and Cleante are looking out； one leans on the books on the windowsill； the other lounges at the door； and they watch the pretty Hippolyte who is chaffering with the laceseller at the opposite shop。 〃Ce visage vaut mieux que toutes vos chansons；〃 says Dorimant to the bookseller。 So they loitered； and bought books； and flirted in their lace ruffles； and ribbons； and flowing locks； and wide canons； when Moliere was young； and when this little old book was new； and lying on the shelves of honest Qui in the Palace Gallery。 The very titlepage； and pagination； not of this second edition； but of the first of 〃Les Fascheux；〃 had their own fortunes； for the dedication to Fouquet was perforce withdrawn。 That favourite entertained La Valliere and the King with the edy at his house of Vaux； and then instantly fell from power and favour； and； losing his place and his freedom； naturally lost the flattery of a dedication。 But retombons a nos coches； as Montaigne says。 This pleasant little copy of the play； which is a kind of relic of Moliere and his old world； has been ruthlessly bound up with a treatise； 〃Des Pierres Precieuses；〃 published by Didot in 1776。 Now the play is naturally a larger book than the treatise on precious stones； so the binder has cut down the margins to the size of those of the work on amethysts and rubies。 As the Italian tyrant chained the dead and the living together； as Procrustes maimed his victims on his cruel bed； so a hardhearted French binder has tied up； and mutilated； and spoiled the old play； which otherwise would have had considerable value as well as interest。
We have tried to teach the beginner how to keep his books neat and clean； what men and monsters he should avoid； how he should guard