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could get out of debt by selling his collection； OURS will probably not
fetch anything like what we gave for it。 In half…bindings there is a good
deal of room 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 half…
bindings。 The paper or cloth which covers the greater part of the surface
of half…bound 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 half…binding an
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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 full…bound 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 recommends 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
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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 companion 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； Comedie de I。 B。 P。 MOLIERE； Representee
sur Le Theatre du Palais Royal。 A Paris； Chez GABRIEL QUINET； 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。 Quinet； the
bookseller； lived 〃au Palais；〃 in that pretty old arcade where Corneille cast
the scene of his comedy； 〃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 window…sill； the other lounges at the door； and they watch the pretty
Hippolyte who is chaffering with the lace…seller 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 Quinet in the Palace Gallery。 The very title…page； and
pagination； not of this second edition； but of the first of 〃Les Fascheux；〃
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had their own fortunes； for the dedication to Fouquet was perforce
withdrawn。 That favourite entertained La Valliere and the King with the
comedy 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 vi