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d remind us of the vanity of ambition and the weakness of human purpose。 Old school and college books even have a reproachful and salutary power of whispering how much a man knew； and at the cost of how much trouble； that he has absolutely fotten； and is neither the better nor the worse for it。 It will be the same in the case of the books he is eager about now； though； to be sure； he will read with less care； and fet with an ease and readiness only to be acquired by practice。
But we were apologising for bookhunting； not because it teaches moral lessons； as 〃dauncyng〃 also does； according to Sir Thomas Elyot； in the 〃Boke called the Gouvernour；〃 but because it affords a kind of sportive excitement。 Bookstalls are not the only field of the chase。 Book catalogues； which reach the collector through the post； give him all the pleasures of the sport at home。 He reads the booksellers' catalogues eagerly； he marks his chosen sport with pencil； he writes by return of post； or he telegraphs to the vendor。 Unfortunately he almost always finds that he has been forestalled； probably by some bookseller's agent。 When the catalogue is a French one； it is obvious that Parisians have the pick of the market before our slow letters reach M。 Claudin； or M。 Labitte。 Still the catalogues themselves are a kind of lesson in bibliography。 You see from them how prices are ruling； and you can gloat； in fancy； over De Luyne's edition of Moliere； 1673； two volumes in red morocco； double （〃Trautz Bauzon〃）； or some other vanity hopelessly out of reach。 In their catalogues； MM。 Mand and Fatout print a facsimile of the frontispiece of this very rare edition。 The bust of Moliere occupies the centre； and portraits of the great actor； as Sganarelle and Mascarille （of the 〃Precieuses Ridicules〃）； stand on either side。 In the second volume are Moliere； and his wife Armande； crowned by the muse Thalia。 A catalogue which contains such exact reproductions of rare and authentic portraits； is itself a work of art； and serviceable to the student。 When the shop of a bookseller； with a promising catalogue which arrives over night； is not too far distant； bibliophiles have been known to rush to the spot in the grey morning； before the doors open。 There are amateurs； however； who prefer to stay fortably at home； and pity these poor fanatics； shivering in the rain outside a door in Oxford Street or Booksellers' Row。 There is a length to which enthusiasm cannot go； and many collectors draw the line at rising early in the morning。 But； when we think of the sport of bookhunting； it is to sales in auctionrooms that the mind naturally turns。 Here the rival buyers feel the passion of emulation； and it was in an auctionroom that Guibert de Pixerecourt； being outbid； said； in tones of mortal hatred； 〃I will have the book when your collection is sold after your death。〃 And he kept his word。 The fever of gambling is not absent from the auctionroom； and people 〃bid jealous〃 as they sometimes 〃ride jealous〃 in the huntingfield。 Yet； the neophyte； if he strolls by chance into a saleroom； will be surprised at the spectacle。 The chamber has the look of a rather seedy 〃hell。〃 The crowd round the auctioneer's box contains many persons so dingy and Semitic； that at Monte Carlo they would be refused admittance； while； in Germany； they would be persecuted by Herr von Treitschke with Christian ardour。 Bidding is languid； and valuable books are knocked down for trifling sums。 Let the neophyte try his luck； however； and prices will rise wonderfully。 The fact is that the sale is a 〃knock out。〃 The bidders are professionals； in a league to let the volumes go cheap； and to distribute them afterwards among themselves。 Thus an amateur can have a good deal of sport by bidding for a book till it reaches its proper value； and by then leaving in the lurch the professionals who bine to 〃run him up。〃 The amusement has its obvious perils； but the presence of gentlemen in an auctionroom is a relief to the auctioneer and to the owner of the books。 A bidder must be able to mand his temper； both that he may be able to keep his head cool when tempted to bid recklessly； and that he may disregard the not very carefully concealed sneers of the professionals。
In bookhunting the nature of the quarry varies with the taste of the collector。 One man is for bibles； another for ballads。 Some pursue plays； others look for play bills。 〃He was not；〃 says Mr。 Hill Burton； speaking of Kirkpatrick Sharpe； 〃he was not a black letter man； or a tall copyist； or an uncut man； or a roughedge man； or an earlyEnglish dramatist； or an Elzevirian； or a broadsider； or a pasquinader； or an old brown calf man； or a Grangerite； ｛1｝ or a tawny moroccoite； or a gilt topper； or a marbled insider； or an editio princeps man。〃 These nicknames briefly dispose into categories a good many species of collectors。 But there are plenty of others。 You may be a historicalbindings man； and hunt for books that were bound by the great artists of the past and belonged to illustrious collectors。 Or you may be a Jametist； and try to gather up the volumes on which Jamet； the friend of Louis Racine； scribbled his cynical 〃Marginalia。〃 Or you may covet the earliest editions of modern poetsShelley； Keats； or Tennyson； or even Ebenezer Jones。 Or the object of your desires may be the books of the French romanticists； who flourished so freely in 1830。 Or； being a person of large fortune and landed estate； you may collect country histories。 Again； your heart may be set on the books illustrated by Eisen； Cochin； and Gravelot； or Stothard and Blake； in the last century。 Or you may be so oldfashioned as to care for Aldine classics； and for the books of the Giunta press。 In fact； as many as are the species of rare and beautiful books； so many are the species of collectors。 There is one sort of men； modest but not unwise in their generations； who buy up the pretty books published in very limited editions by French booksellers； like MM。 Lemerre and Jouaust。 Already their reprints of Rochefoucauld's first edition； of Beaumarchais； of La Fontaine； of the lyrics attributed to Moliere； and other volumes； are exhausted； and fetch high prices in the market。 By a singular caprice； the little volumes of Mr。 Thackeray's miscellaneous writings； in yellow paper wrappers （when they are first editions）； have bee objects of desire； and their old modest price is increased twenty fold。 It is not always easy to account for these freaks of fashion； but even in bookcollecting there are certain definite laws。 〃Why do you pay a large price for a dingy； old book；〃 outsiders ask； 〃when a clean modern reprint can be procured for two or three shillings？〃 To this question the collector has several replies； which he； at least； finds satisfactory。 In the first place； early editions； published during a great author's lifetime； and under his supervision； have authentic texts。 The changes in them are the changes that Prior or La Bruyere themselves made and approved。 You can study； in these old editions； the alterations in their taste； the history of their minds。 The case is the same even with contemporary authors。 One likes to have Mr。 Tennyson's 〃Poems； c