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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 forgotten； 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
forget with an ease and readiness only to be acquired by practice。
But we were apologising for book…hunting； 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
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Bauzonnet〃）； or some other vanity hopelessly out of reach。 In their
catalogues； MM。 Morgand 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 comfortably 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 book…hunting； it is to sales in auction…rooms that the mind
naturally turns。 Here the rival buyers feel the passion of emulation； and
it was in an auction…room 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 auction…room； and people 〃bid jealous〃 as they
sometimes 〃ride jealous〃 in the hunting…field。 Yet； the neophyte； if he
strolls by chance into a sale…room； 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 combine to 〃run him up。〃 The
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amusement has its obvious perils； but the presence of gentlemen in an
auction…room is a relief to the auctioneer and to the owner of the books。
A bidder must be able to command 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 book…hunting 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 rough…edge man； or an early…English
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 historical…
bindings 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
old…fashioned 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
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miscellaneous writings； in yellow paper wrappers （when they are first
editions）； have become 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 book…collecting 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