The Library-第12部分

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　treatise　may　have　been　valueless；　almost；　when　it　appeared；　but　now　it　is　serviceable　to　the　philologist；　and　to　all　who　care　to　try　to　interpret　the　slang　ballades　of　the　poet　Villon。　　An　old　pamphlet；　an　old　satire；　may　hold　the　key　to　some　historical　problem；　or　throw　light　on　the　past　of　manners　and　customs。　　Still；　of　the　earliest　printed　books；　collectors　prefer　such　rare　and　beautiful　ones　as　the　oldest　printed　Bibles：　　German；　English；as　Taverner's　and　the　Bishop's；or　Hebrew　and　Greek；　or　the　first　editions　of　the　ancient　classics；　which　may　contain　the　readings　of　MSS。　now　lost　or　destroyed。　Talking　of　early　Bibles；　let　us　admire　the　luck　and　prudence　of　a　certain　Mr。　Sandford。　　He　always　longed　for　the　first　Hebrew　Bible；　but　would　offer　no　fancy　price；　being　convinced　that　the　book　would　one　day　fall　in　his　way。　　His　foreboding　was　fulfilled；　and　he　picked　up　his　treasure　for　ten　shillings　in　a　shop　in　the　Strand。　The　taste　for　incunabula；　or　very　early　printed　books；　slumbered　in　the　latter　half　of　the　sixteenth；　and　all　the　seventeenth　century。　It　revived　with　the　third　jubilee　of　printing　in　1740；　and　since　then　has　refined　itself；　and　only　craves　books　very　early；　very　important；　or　works　from　the　press　of　Caxton；　the　St。　Albans　Schoolmaster；　or　other　famous　old　artists。　　Enough　has　been　said　to　show　the　beginner；　always　enthusiastic；　that　all　old　books　are　not　precious。　　For　further　information；　the　〃Biography　and　Typography　of　William　Caxton；〃　by　Mr。　Blades　（Trubner；　London；　1877）；　may　be　consulted　with　profit。

Following　the　categories　into　which　M。　Bru　classifies　desirable　books　in　his　invaluable　manual；　we　now　e　to　books　printed　on　vellum；　and　on　peculiar　papers。　　At　the　origin　of　printing；　examples　of　many　books；　probably　presentation　copies；　were　printed　on　vellum。　There　is　a　vellum　copy　of　the　celebrated　Florentine　first　edition　of　Homer；　but　it　is　truly　sad　to　think　that　the　twin　volumes；　Iliad　and　Odyssey；　have　been　separated；　and　pine　in　distant　libraries。　　Early　printed　books　on　vellum　often　have　beautifully　illuminated　capitals。　Dibdin　mentions　in　〃Bibliomania〃　（London；　1811）；　p。　90；　that　a　M。　Van　Praet　was　piling　a　catalogue　of　works　printed　on　vellum；　and　had　collected　more　than　2000　articles。　　When　hard　things　are　said　about　Henry　VIII。；　let　us　remember　that　this　monarch　had　a　few　copies　of　his　book　against　Luther　printed　on　vellum。　　The　Duke　of　Marlborough's　library　possessed　twentyfive　books　on　vellum；　all　printed　before　1496。　　The　chapterhouse　at　Padua　has　a　〃Catullus〃　of　1472　on　vellum；　let　Mr。　Robinson　Ellis　think　wistfully　of　that　treasure。　　The　notable　Count　M'Carthy　of　Toulouse　had　a　wonderful　library　of　books　in　membranis；　including　a　book　much　coveted　for　its　rarity；　oddity；　and　the　beauty　of　its　illustrations；　the　〃Hypnerotomachia〃　of　Poliphilus　（Venice；　1499）。　　Vellum　was　the　favourite　〃vanity〃　of　Junot；　Napoleon's　general。　　For　reasons　connected　with　its　manufacture；　and　best　not　inquired　into；　the　Italian　vellum　enjoyed　the　greatest　reputation　for　smooth　and　silky　whiteness。　　Dibdin　calls　〃our　modern　books　on　vellum　little　short　of　downright　wretched。〃　　But　the　editor　of　this　series　could；　I　think；　show　examples　that　would　have　made　Dibdin　change　his　opinion。

Many　paratively　expensive　papers；　large　in　format；　are　used　in　choice　editions　of　books。　　Whatman　papers；　Dutch　papers；　Chinese　papers；　and　even　papier　verge；　have　all　their　admirers。　　The　amateur　will　soon　learn　to　distinguish　these　materials。　　As　to　books　printed　on　coloured　papergreen；　blue；　yellow；　rhubarbcoloured；　and　the　like；　they　are　an　offence　to　the　eyes　and　to　the　taste。　　Yet　even　these　have　their　admirers　and　collectors；　and　the　great　Aldus　himself　occasionally　used　azure　paper。　　Under　the　head　of　〃large　paper；〃　perhaps　〃uncut　copies〃　should　be　mentioned。　　Most　owners　of　books　have　had　the　edges　of　the　volumes　gilded　or　marbled　by　the　binders。　　Thus　part　of　the　margin　is　lost；　an　offence　to　the　eye　of　the　bibliomaniac；　while　copies　untouched　by　the　binder's　shears　are　rare；　and　therefore　prized。　　The　inconvenience　of　uncut　copies　is；　that　one　cannot　easily　turn　over　the　leaves。　　But；　in　the　present　state　of　the　fashion；　a　really　rare　uncut　Elzevir　may　be　worth　hundreds　of　pounds；　while　a　cropped　example　scarcely　fetches　as　many　shillings。　　A　set　of　Shakespeare's　quartoes；　uncut；　would　be　worth　more　than　a　respectable　landed　estate　in　Connemara。　　For　these　reasons　the　amateur　will　do　well　to　have　new　books　of　price　bound　〃uncut。〃　　It　is　always　easy　to　have　the　leaves　pared　away；　but　not　even　the　fabled　fountain　at　Argos；　in　which　Hera　yearly　renewed　her　maidenhood；　could　restore　margins　once　clipped　away。　　So　much　for　books　which　are　chiefly　precious　for　the　quantity　and　quality　of　the　material　on　which　they　are　printed。　　Even　this　rather　foolish　weakness　of　the　amateur　would　not　be　useless　if　it　made　our　publishers　more　careful　to　employ　a　sound　clean　handmade　paper；　instead　of　drugged　trash；　for　their　more　valuable　new　productions。　Indeed；　a　taste　for　handmade　paper　is　ing　in；　and　is　part　of　the　revolt　against　the　passion　for　everything　machinemade；　which　ruined　art　and　handiwork　in　the　years　between　1840　and　1870。

The　third　of　M。　Bru's　categories　of　books　of　prose；　includes　livres　de　luxe；　and　illustrated　literature。　　Every　Christmas　brings　us　livres　de　luxe　in　plenty；　books　which　are　no　books；　but　have　gilt　and　magenta　covers；　and　great　staring　illustrations。　　These　are　regarded　as　drawingroom　ornaments　by　people　who　never　read。　　It　is　scarcely　necessary　to　warn　the　collector　against　these　gaudy　baits　of　unregulated　Christmas　generosity。　　All　ages　have　not　produced　quite　such　garish　livres　de　luxe　as　ours。　　But；　on　the　whole；　a　book　brought　out　merely　for　the　sake　of　display；　is　generally　a　book　ill　〃got　up；〃　and　not　worth　reading。　　Moreover；　it　is　generally　a　folio；　or　quarto；　so　large　that　he　who　tries　to　read　it　must　support　it　on　a　kind　of　scaffolding。　　In　the　class　of　illustrated　books　two　sorts　are　at　present　most　in　demand。　　The　ancient　woodcuts　and　engravings；　often　the　work　of　artists　like　Holbein　and　Durer；　can　never　lose　their　interest。　　Among　old　illustrated　books；　the　most　famous；　and　one　of　the　rarest；　is　the　〃Hypnerotomachia　Poliphili；〃　〃wherein　all　human　matters　are　proved　to　be　no　more　than　a　dream。〃　　This　is　an　allegorical　romance；　published　in　1499；　for　Francesco　Colonna；　by　Aldus　Manucius。　　Poliam　Frater　Franciscus　Columna　peramavit。　〃Brother　Francesco　Colonna　dearly　loved　Polia；〃　is　the　inscription　and　device　of　this　romance。　　Poor　Francesco；　of　the　order　of　preachers；　disguised　in　this　strange　work　his　passion　for　a　lady　of　uncertain　name。　　Here　is　a　translation　of　the　passage　in　which　the　lady　describes　the　beginning　of　his　affection。　　〃I　was　standing；　as　is　the　manner　of　women　young　and　fair；　at　the　window；　or　rather　on　the　balcony；　of　my　palace。　　My　yellow　hair；　the　charm　of　maidens；　was　floating　round　my　shining　shoulders。　　My　locks　were　steeped　in　unguents　that　made　them　glitter　like　threads　of　gold；　and　they　were　slowly　drying　in　the　rays　of　the　burning　sun。　　A　handmaid；　happy　in　her　task；　was　drawing　a　b　through　my　tresses；　and　surely　these　of　Andromeda　seemed　not　more　lovely　to　Perseus；　nor　to　Lucius　the　locks　of　Photis。　｛6｝　　On　a　sudden；　Poliphilus　beheld　me；　and　could　not　withdraw　from　me　his　glances　of　fire；　and　even　in　that　moment　a　ray　of　the　sun　of　love　was　kindled　in　his　heart。〃

The　fragment　is　itself　a　picture　from　the　world　of　the　Renaissance。　We　watch　the　blonde；　learned　lady；　dreaming　of　Perseus；　and　Lucius；　Greek　lovers　of　old　time；　while　the　sun　gilds　her　yellow　hair；　and　the　young　monk；　passing　below；　sees　and　loves；　and　〃falls　into　the　deep　waters　of　desire。〃　　The　lover　is　no　less　learned　than　the　lady；　and　there　is　a　great　deal　of　amorous　archaeology　in　his　account　of　his　voyage　to　Cythera。　　As　to　the　designs　in　wood；　quaint　in　their　vigorous　effort　to　be　classical；　they　have　been　attributed　to　Mantegna；　to　Bellini；　and　other　artists。　　Jean　Cousin　is　said　to　have　executed　the　imitations；　in　the　Paris　editions　of　1546；　1556；　and　1561。

The　〃Hypnerotomachia〃　seems　to　deserve　notice；　because　it　is　the　very　type　of　the　books　that　are　dear　to　collectors；　as　distinct　from　the　books　that；　in　any　shape；　are　for　ever　valuable　to　the　world。　　A　cheap　Tauchnitz　copy　of　the　Iliad　and　Odyssey；　or　a　Globe　Shakespeare；　are；　from　the　point　of　view　of　literature；　worth　a　wilderness　of　〃Hypnerotomachiae。〃　　But　a　clean　copy　of　the　〃Hypnerotomachia；〃　especially　on　VELLUM；　is　one　of　the　jewels　of　bibliography。　　It　has　all　the　right　qualities；　it　is　very　rare；　it　is　very　beautiful　as　a　work　of　art；　it　is　curious　and　even　bizarre；　it　is　the　record　of　a　strange　time；　and　a　strange　passion；　it　is　a　relic；　lastly；　of　its　printer；　the　great　and　good　Aldus　Manutius。

Next　to　the　old　woodcuts　and　engravings；　executed　in　times　when　artists　were　versatile　and　did　not　disdain　even　to　draw　a　bookplate　（as　Durer　did　for　Pirckheimer）；　the　designs　of　the　French　〃little　masters；〃　are　at　present　in　most　demand。　　The　book　illustrations　of　the　seventeenth　century　are　curious　enough；　and　invaluable　as　authorities　on　manners　and　costume。　　But　the　attitudes　of　the　figures　are　too　often　stiff　and　ungainly；　while　the　position　is　frequently　left　to　chance。　　England　could　show　nothing　much　better　than　Ogilby's　translations　of　Homer；　illustrated　with　big　florid　engravings　in　sham　antique　style。　　The　years　between　1730　and　1820；　saw　the　French　〃little　masters〃　in　their　perfection。　　The　dress　of　the　middle　of　the　eighteenth　century；　of　the　age　of　Watteau；　was　precisely　suited　to　the　gay　and　graceful　pencils　of　Gravelot；　Moreau；　Eisen；　Boucher；　Cochin；　Marillier；　and　Choffard。　　To　understand　their　merits；　and　the　limits　of　their　art；　it　is　enough　to　glance　through　a　series　of　the　designs　for　Voltaire；　Corneille；　or　Moliere。　　The　drawings　of　society　are　almost　invariably　dainty　and　pleasing；　the　serious　scenes　of　tragedy　leave　the　spectator　quite　unmoved。　　Thus　it　is　but　natural　that　these　artists　should　have　shone　most　in　the　illustration　of　airy　trifles　like　Dorat's　〃Baisers；〃　or　tales　like　Manon　Lescaut；　or　in　designing　tailpieces　for　translations　of　the　Greek　idyllic　poets；　such　as　Moschus　and　Bion。　　In　some　of　his　illustrations　of　books；　especially；　perhaps；　in　the　designs　for　〃La　Physiologie　de　Gout〃　（Jouaust；　Paris；　1879）；　M。　Lalauze　has　shown　himself　the　worthy　rival　of　Eisen　and　Cochin。　Perhaps　it　is　unnecessary　to　add　that　the　beauty　and　value　of　all　such　engravings　depends　almost　entirely　on　their　〃state。〃　　The　earlier　proofs　are　much　more　brilliant　than　those　drawn　later；　and　etchings　on　fine　papers　are　justly　preferred。　　For　example；　M。　Lalauze's　engravings　on　〃Whatman　paper；〃　have　a　beauty　which　could　scarcely　be　guessed　by　people　who　have　only　seen　specimens　on　〃papier　verge。〃　　Every　collector　of　the　old　French　vigtes；　should　possess　himself　of　the　〃Guide　de　l'amateur；〃　by　M。　Henry　Cohen　（Rouquette；　Paris；　1880）。　　Among　English　illustrated　books；　various　tastes　prefer　the　imaginative　works　of　William　Blake；　the　etchings　of　Cruikshank；　and　the　woodcuts　of　Bewick。　　The　whole　of　the　last　chapter　of　this　sketch　is　devoted；　by　Mr。　Austin　Dobson；　to　the　topic　of　English　illustrated　books。　　Here　it　may　be　said；　in　p