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books； like William Postel's 〃Three Marvellous Triumphs of Women；〃 are
〃curious。〃 Freakish books； like macaronic poetry； written in a medley of
languages； are curious。 Books from private presses are singular。 The old
English poets and satirists turned out many a book curious to the last
degree； and priced at a fantastic value。 Such are 〃Jordan's Jewels of
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Ingenuity；〃 〃Micro…cynicon； six Snarling Satyres〃 （1599）； and the
〃Treatize made of a Galaunt；〃 printed by Wynkyn de Worde； and found
pasted into the fly…leaf； on the oak…board binding of an imperfect volume
of Pynson's 〃Statutes。〃 All our early English poems and miscellanies are
curious； and； as relics of delightful singers； are most charming possessions。
Such are the 〃Songes and Sonnettes of Surrey〃 （1557）； the 〃Paradyce of
daynty Deuices〃 （1576）； the 〃Small Handful of Fragrant Flowers；〃 and
〃The Handful of Dainty Delights； gathered out of the lovely Garden of
Sacred Scripture； fit for any worshipful Gentlewoman to smell unto；〃
（1584）。 〃The Teares of Ireland〃 （1642）； are said； though one would not
expect it； to be 〃extremely rare；〃 and； therefore； precious。 But there is no
end to the list of such desirable rarities。 If we add to them all books
coveted as early editions； and； therefore； as relics of great writers； Bunyan；
Shakespeare； Milton； Sterne； Walton； and the rest； we might easily fill a
book with remarks on this topic alone。 The collection of such editions is
the most respectable； the most useful； and； alas； the most expensive of the
amateur's pursuits。 It is curious enough that the early editions of Swift；
Scott； and Byron； are little sought for； if not wholly neglected； while early
copies of Shelley； Tennyson； and Keats； have a great price set on their
heads。 The quartoes of Shakespeare； like first editions of Racine； are out
of the reach of any but very opulent purchasers； or unusually lucky；
fortunate book…hunters。 Before leaving the topic of books which derive
their value from the taste and fantasy of collectors； it must be remarked
that； in this matter； the fashion of the world changes。 Dr。 Dibdin
lamented； seventy years ago； the waning respect paid to certain editions of
the classics。 He would find that things have become worse now； and
modern German editions； on execrable paper； have supplanted his old
favourites。 Fifty years ago； M。 Brunet expressed his contempt for the
designs of Boucher； now they are at the top of the fashion。 The study of
old booksellers' catalogues is full of instruction as to the changes of
caprice。 The collection of Dr。 Rawlinson was sold in 1756。 〃The
Vision of Pierce Plowman〃 （1561）； and the 〃Creede of Pierce Plowman〃
（1553）； brought between them no more than three shillings and sixpence。
Eleven shillings were paid for the 〃Boke of Chivalrie〃 by Caxton。 The
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〃Boke of St。 Albans；〃 by Wynkyn de Worde； cost 1 pounds： 1s。； and this
was the highest sum paid for any one of two hundred rare pieces of early
English literature。 In 1764； a copy of the 〃Hypnerotomachia〃 was sold
for two shillings； 〃A Pettie Pallace of Pettie his Pleasures；〃 （ah； what a
thought for the amateur！） went for three shillings； while 〃Palmerin of
England〃 （1602）； attained no more than the paltry sum of fourteen
shillings。 When Osborne sold the Harley collection； the scarcest old
English books fetched but three or four shillings。 If the wandering Jew
had been a collector in the last century he might have turned a pretty profit
by selling his old English books in this age of ours。 In old French； too；
Ahasuerus would have done a good stroke of business； for the prices
brought by old Villons； Romances of the Rose； 〃Les Marguerites de
Marguerite；〃 and so forth； at the M'Carthy sale； were truly pitiable。 A
hundred years hence the original editions of Thackeray； or of Miss
Greenaway's Christmas books； or 〃Modern Painters；〃 may be the ruling
passion； and Aldines and Elzevirs； black letter and French vignettes may
all be despised。 A book which is commonplace in our century is curious
in the next； and disregarded in that which follows。 Old books of a
heretical character were treasures once； rare unholy possessions。 Now
we have seen so many heretics that the world is indifferent to the
audacities of Bruno； and the veiled impieties of Vanini。
The last of our categories of books much sought by the collector
includes all volumes valued for their ancient bindings； for the mark and
stamp of famous amateurs。 The French； who have supplied the world
with so many eminent binders；as Eve； Padeloup； Duseuil； Le Gascon；
Derome； Simier； Bozerian； Thouvenin； Trautz…Bauzonnet； and Lorticare
the chief patrons of books in historical bindings。 In England an historical
binding； a book of Laud's； or James's； or Garrick's； or even of Queen
Elizabeth's； does not seem to derive much added charm from its
associations。 But； in France； peculiar bindings are now the objects most
in demand among collectors。 The series of books thus rendered precious
begins with those of Maioli and of Grolier （1479…1565）； remarkable for
their mottoes and the geometrical patterns on the covers。 Then comes De
Thou （who had three sets of arms）； with his blazon； the bees stamped on
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the morocco。 The volumes of Marguerite of Angouleme are sprinkled
with golden daisies。 Diane de Poictiers had her crescents and her bow；
and the initial of her royal lover was intertwined with her own。 The three
daughters of Louis XV。 had each their favourite colour； and their books
wear liveries of citron； red； and olive morocco。 The Abbe Cotin； the
original of Moliere's Trissotin； stamped his books with intertwined C's。
Henri III。 preferred religious emblems； and sepulchral mottoesskulls；
crossbones； tears； and the insignia of the Passion。 Mort m'est vie is a
favourite device of the effeminate and voluptuous prince。 Moliere
himself was a collector； il n'es pas de bouquin qui s'echappe de ses mains；…
…〃never an old book escapes him；〃 says the author of 〃La Guerre
Comique；〃 the last of the pamphlets which flew from side to side in the
great literary squabble about 〃L'Ecole des Femmes。〃 M。 Soulie has
found a rough catalogue of Moliere's library； but the books； except a little
Elzevir； have disappeared。 ｛7｝ Madame de Maintenon was fond of
bindings。 Mr。 Toovey possesses a copy of a devotional work in red
morocco； tooled and gilt； which she presented to a friendly abbess。 The
books at Saint…Cyr were stamped with a crowned cross； besprent with
fleurs…de…lys。 The books of the later collectorsLongepierre； the
translator of Bion and Moschus； D'Hoym the diplomatist； McCarthy； and
La Valliere； are all valued at a rate which seems fair game for satire。
Among the most interesting bibliophiles of the eighteenth century is
Madame Du Barry。 In 1771； this notorious beauty could scarcely read or
write。 She had rooms； however； in the Chateau de Versailles； thanks to
the kindness of a monarch who admired those native qualities which
education may polish； but which it can never confer。