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THE LIBRARY1
THE LIBRARY
By Andrew Lang
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THE LIBRARY2
PREFATORY NOTE
The pages in this volume on illuminated and other MSS。 （with the
exception of some anecdotes about Bussy Rabutin and Julie de
Rambouillet） have been contributed by the Rev。 W。 J。 Loftie； who has also
written on early printed books （pp。 94…95）。 The pages on the Biblioklept
（pp。 46…56） are reprinted； with the Editor's kind permission； from the
Saturday Review； and a few remarks on the moral lessons of bookstalls
are taken from an essay in the same journal。
Mr。 Ingram Bywater； Fellow of Exeter College； and lately sub…
Librarian of the Bodleian； has very kindly read through the proofs of
chapters I。； II。； and III。； and suggested some alterations。
Thanks are also due to Mr。 T。 R。 Buchanan； Fellow of All Souls
College； for two plates from his 〃Book…bindings in All Souls Library〃
（printed for private circulation）； which he has been good enough to lend
me。 The plates are beautifully drawn and coloured by Dr。 J。 J。 Wild。
Messrs。 George Bell & Sons； Messrs。 Bradbury； Agnew； & Co。； and
Messrs。 Chatto & Windus； must be thanked for the use of some of the
woodcuts which illustrate the concluding chapter。 A。 L。
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THE LIBRARY3
AN APOLOGY FOR THE BOOK…
HUNTER
〃All men；〃 says Dr。 Dibdin； 〃like to be their own librarians。〃 A writer
on the library has no business to lay down the law as to the books that
even the most inexperienced amateurs should try to collect。 There are
books which no lover of literature can afford to be without； classics；
ancient and modern； on which the world has pronounced its verdict。
These works； in whatever shape we may be able to possess them； are the
necessary foundations of even the smallest collections。 Homer； Dante
and Milton Shakespeare and Sophocles； Aristophanes and Moliere；
Thucydides； Tacitus； and Gibbon； Swift and Scott；these every lover of
letters will desire to possess in the original languages or in translations。
The list of such classics is short indeed； and when we go beyond it； the
tastes of men begin to differ very widely。 An assortment of broadsheet
ballads and scrap…books； bought in boyhood； was the nucleus of Scott's
library； rich in the works of poets and magicians； of alchemists； and
anecdotists。 A childish liking for coloured prints of stage characters； may
be the germ of a theatrical collection like those of Douce； and Malone； and
Cousin。 People who are studying any past period of human history； or
any old phase or expression of human genius； will eagerly collect little
contemporary volumes which seem trash to other amateurs。 For example；
to a student of Moliere； it is a happy chance to come across 〃La Carte du
Royaume des Pretieuses〃（The map of the kingdom of the 〃Precieuses〃）
written the year before the comedian brought out his famous play 〃Les
Precieuses Ridicules。〃 This geographical tract appeared in the very
〃Recueil des Pieces Choisies；〃 whose authors Magdelon； in the play； was
expecting to entertain； when Mascarille made his appearance。 There is a
faculty which Horace Walpole named 〃serendipity；〃the luck of falling on
just the literary document which one wants at the moment。 All collectors
of out of the way books know the pleasure of the exercise of serendipity；
but they enjoy it in different ways。 One man will go home hugging a
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THE LIBRARY4
volume of sermons； another with a bulky collection of catalogues； which
would have distended the pockets even of the wide great…coat made for the
purpose； that Charles Nodier used to wear when he went a book…hunting。
Others are captivated by black letter； others by the plays of such
obscurities as Nabbes and Glapthorne。 But however various the tastes of
collectors of books； they are all agreed on one point；the love of printed
paper。 Even an Elzevir man can sympathise with Charles Lamb's
attachment to 〃that folio Beaumont and Fletcher which he dragged home
late at night from Barker's in Covent Garden。〃 But it is another thing
when Lamb says； 〃I do not care for a first folio of Shakespeare。〃 A
bibliophile who could say this could say anything。
No； there are； in every period of taste； books which； apart from their
literary value； all collectors admit to possess； if not for themselves； then
for others of the brotherhood； a peculiar preciousness。 These books are
esteemed for curiosity； for beauty of type； paper； binding； and illustrations；
for some connection they may have with famous people of the past； or for
their rarity。 It is about these books； the method of preserving them； their
enemies； the places in which to hunt for them； that the following pages are
to treat。 It is a subject more closely connected with the taste for
curiosities than with art； strictly so called。 We are to be occupied； not so
much with literature as with books； not so much with criticism as with
bibliography； the quaint duenna of literature； a study apparently dry； but
not without its humours。 And here an apology must be made for the
frequent allusions and anecdotes derived from French writers。 These are
as unavoidable； almost； as the use of French terms of the sport in tennis
and in fencing。 In bibliography； in the care for books AS books； the
French are still the teachers of Europe； as they were in tennis and are in
fencing。 Thus； Richard de Bury； Chancellor of Edward III。； writes in his
〃Philobiblon：〃 〃Oh God of Gods in Zion！ what a rushing river of joy
gladdens my heart as often as I have a chance of going to Paris！ There
the days seem always short； there are the goodly collections on the
delicate fragrant book…shelves。〃 Since Dante wrote of …
〃L'onor di quell' arte Ch' allumare e chiamata in Parisi；〃
〃the art that is called illuminating in Paris；〃 and all the other arts of
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THE LIBRARY5
writing； printing； binding books； have been most skilfully practised by
France。 She improved on the lessons given by Germany and Italy in
these crafts。 Twenty books about books are written in Paris for one that
is published in England。 In our country Dibdin is out of date （the second
edition of his 〃Bibliomania〃 was published in 1811）； and Mr。 Hill Burton's
humorous 〃Book…hunter〃 is out of print。 Meanwhile； in France； writers
grave and gay； from the gigantic industry of Brunet to Nodier's quaint
fancy； and Janin's wit； and the always entertaining bibliophile Jacob （Paul
Lacroix）； have written； or are writing； on books； manuscripts； engravings；
editions； and bindings。 In England； therefore； rare French books are
eagerly sought； and may be found in all the booksellers' catalogues。 On
the continent there is no such care for our curious or beautiful editions； old
or new。 Here a hint may be given to the collector。 If he 〃picks up〃 a
rare French book； at a low price； he would act prudently in having it bound
in France by a good craftsman。 Its value； when 〃the wicked day of
destiny〃 comes； and the collection is broken up； will thus be made secure。
For the French do not suffer our English bindings gladly； while we have
no narrow prejudice against the works of Lortic and Cape； but the reve