The Library-第14部分

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　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；　TrautzBauzon；　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　（14791565）；　remarkable　for　their　mottoes　and　the　geometrical　patterns　on　the　covers。　　Then　es　De　Thou　（who　had　three　sets　of　arms）；　with　his　blazon；　the　bees　stamped　on　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　ique；〃　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　SaintCyr　were　stamped　with　a　crowned　cross；　besprent　with　fleursdelys。　　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。　At　Versailles；　Madame　Du　Barry　heard　of　the　literary　genius　of　Madame　de　Pompadour。　　The　Pompadour　was　a　person　of　taste。　　Her　large　library　of　some　four　thousand　works　of　the　lightest　sort　of　light　literature　was　bound　by　Biziaux。　　Mr。　Toovey　possesses　the　Brantome　of　this　dame　galante。　　Madame　herself　had　published　etchings　by　her　own　fair　hands；　and　to　hear　of　these　things　excited　the　emulation　of　Madame　Du　Barry。　　She　might　not　be　CLEVER；　but　she　could　have　a　library　like　another；　if　libraries　were　in　fashion。　One　day　Madame　Du　Barry　astonished　the　Court　by　announcing　that　her　collection　of　books　would　presently　arrive　at　Versailles。　　Meantime　she　took　counsel　with　a　bookseller；　who　bought　up　examples　of　all　the　cheap　〃remainders；〃　as　they　are　called　in　the　trade；　that　he　could　lay　his　hands　upon。　　The　whole　assortment；　about　one　thousand　volumes　in　all；　was　hastily　bound　in　rose　morocco；　elegantly　gilt；　and　stamped　with　the　arms　of　the　noble　house　of　Du　Barry。　　The　bill　which　Madame　Du　Barry　owed　her　enterprising　agent　is　still　in　existence。　　The　thousand　volumes　cost　about　three　francs　each；　the　binding　（extremely　cheap）　came　to　nearly　as　much。　　The　amusing　thing　is　that　the　bookseller；　in　the　catalogue　which　he　sent　with　the　improvised　library；　marked　the　books　which　Madame　Du　Barry　possessed　BEFORE　her　large　order　was　so　punctually　executed。　　There　were　two　〃Memoires　de　Du　Barry；〃　an　old　newspaper；　two　or　three　plays；　and　〃L'Historie　Amoureuse　de　Pierre　le　Long。〃　　Louis　XV。　observed　with　pride　that；　though　Madame　Pompadour　had　possessed　a　larger　library；　that　of　Madame　Du　Barry　was　the　better　selected。　　Thanks　to　her　new　collection；　the　lady　learned　to　read　with　fluency；　but　she　never　overcame　the　difficulties　of　spelling。

A　lady　collector　who　loved　books　not　very　well　perhaps；　but　certainly　not　wisely；　was　the　unhappy　Marie　Antoite。　　The　controversy　in　France　about　the　private　character　of　the　Queen　has　been　as　acrimonious　as　the　Scotch　discussion　about　Mary　Stuart。　Evidence；　good　and　bad；　letters　as　apocryphal　as　the　letters　of　the　famous　〃casket；〃　have　been　produced　on　both　sides。　　A　few　years　ago；　under　the　empire；　M。　Louis　Lacour　found　a　manuscript　catalogue　of　the　books　in　the　Queen's　boudoir。　　They　were　all　novels　of　the　flimsiest　sort；〃L'Amitie　Dangereuse；〃　〃Les　Suites　d'un　Moment　d'Erreur；〃　and　even　the　stories　of　Louvet　and　of　Retif　de　la　Bretonne。　　These　volumes　all　bore　the　letters　〃C。　T。〃　（Chateau　de　Trianon）；　and　during　the　Revolution　they　were　scattered　among　the　various　public　libraries　of　Paris。　　The　Queen's　more　important　library　was　at　the　Tuileries；　but　at　Versailles　she　had　only　three　books；　as　the　missioners　of　the　Convention　found；　when　they　made　an　inventory　of　the　property　of　la　femme　Capet。　　Among　the　three　was　the　〃Gerusalemme　Liberata；〃　printed；　with　eighty　exquisite　designs　by　Cochin；　at　the　expense　of　〃Monsieur；〃　afterwards　Louis　XVIII。　Books　with　the　arms　of　Marie　Antoite　are　very　rare　in　private　collections；　in　sales　they　are　as　much　sought　after　as　those　of　Madame　Du　Barry。

With　these　illustrations　of　the　kind　of　interest　that　belongs　to　books　of　old　collectors；　we　may　close　this　chapter。　　The　reader　has　before　him　a　list；　with　examples；　of　the　kinds　of　books　at　present　most　in　vogue　among　amateurs。　　He　must　judge　for　himself　whether　he　will　follow　the　fashion；　by　aid　either　of　a　long　purse　or　of　patient　research；　or　whether　he　will　find　out　new　paths　for　himself。　　A　scholar　is　rarely　a　rich　man。　　He　cannot　pete　with　plutocrats　who　buy　by　deputy。　　But；　if　he　pursues　the　works　he　really　needs；　he　may　make　a　valuable　collection。　　He　cannot　go　far　wrong　while　he　brings　together　the　books　that　he　finds　most　congenial　to　his　own　taste　and　most　useful　to　his　own　studies。　　Here；　then；　in　the　words　of　the　old　〃sentiment；〃　I　bid　him　farewell；　and　wish　〃success　to　his　inclinations；　provided　they　are　virtuous。〃　　There　is　a　set　of　collectors；　alas！　whose　inclinations　are　not　virtuous。　　The　most　famous　of　them；　a　Frenchman；　observed　that　his　own　collection　of　bad　books　was　unique。　　That　of　an　English　rival；　he　admitted；　was　respectable；〃mais　milord　se　livre　a　des　autres　preoccupations！〃　He　thought　a　collector's　whole　heart　should　be　with　his　treasures。

En　bouquinant　se　trouve　grand　soulas。　Soubent　m'en　vay　musant；　a　petis　pas；　Au　long　des　quais；　pour　flairer　maint　bieux　livre。　Des　Elzevier　la　Sphere　me　rend　yure；　Et　la　Sirene　aussi　m'esmeut。　　Grand　cas　Faisje　d'Estienne；　Aide；　ou　Dolet。　　Mais　Ias！　Le　vieux　Caxton　ne　se　rencontre　pas；　Plus　qu'　agneau　d'or　parmi　jetons　de　cuivre；　En　bouquinant！

Pour　tout　plaisir　que　l'on　goute　icybas　La　Grace　a　Dieu。　　Mieux　vaut；　sans　altercas；　Chasser　bouquin：　　Nul　mal　n'en　peult　s'ensuivre。　Dr　sus　au　livre：　　il　est　le　grand　appas。　Clair　est　le　ciel。　　Amis；　qui　veut　me　suivre　En　bouquinant？

A。　L。

ILLUSTRATED　BOOKS　｛8｝

Modern　English　bookillustrationto　which　the　present　chapter　is　restricted　has　no　long　or　doubtful　history；　since　to　find　its　first　beginnings；　it　is　needless　to　go　farther　back　than　the　last　quarter　of　the　eighteenth　century。　　Not　that　〃illustrated〃　books　of　a　certain　class　were　by　any　means　unknown　before　that　period。　　On　the　contrary；　for　many　years　previously；　literature　had　boasted　its　〃sculptures〃　of　bewigged　and　belaurelled　〃worthies；〃　its　〃prospects〃　and　〃landskips；〃　its　phenomenal　monsters　and　its　〃curious　antiques。〃　　But；　despite　the　couplet　in　the　〃Dunciad〃　respecting　books　where

〃　。　。　。　　the　pictures　for　the　page　atone；　And　Quarles　is　saved　by　beauties　not　his　own；〃　

illustrations；　in　which　the　designer　attempted　the　actual　delineation　of　scenes　or　occurrences　in　the　text；　were　certainly　not　mon　when　Pope　wrote；　nor　were　they　for　some　time　afterwards　either　very　numerous　or　very　noteworthy。　　There　are　Hogarth's　engravings　to　〃Hudibras〃　and　〃Don　Quixote；〃　there　are　the　designs　of　his　crony　Frank　Hayman　to　Theobald's　〃Shakespeare；〃　to　Milton；　to　Pope；　to　Cervantes；　there　are　Pine's　〃Horace〃　and　Sturt's　〃Prayer　Book〃　（in　both　of　which　text　and　ornament　were　alike　engraved）；　there　are　the　historical　and　topographical　drawings　of　Sandby；　Wale；　and　others；　and　yetnotwithstanding　all　theseit　is　with　Bewick's　cuts　to　Gay's　〃Fables〃　in　1779；　and　Stothard's　plates　to　Harrison's　〃Novelist's　Magazine〃　in　1780；　that　bookillustration　by　imaginative　positions　really　begins　to　flourish　in　England。　　Those　little　masterpieces　of　the　Newcastle　artist　brought　about　a　revival　of　woodengraving　which　continues　to　this　day；　but　engraving　upon　metal；　as　a　means　of　decorating　books；　practically　came　to　an　end　with　the　〃Annuals〃　of　thirty　years　ago。　　It　will　therefore　be　well　to　speak　first　of　illustrations　upon　copper　and　steel。

Stothard；　Blake；　and　Flaxman　are　the　names　that　e　freshest　to　memory　in　this　connection。　　For　a　period　of　fifty　years　Stothard　stands　preeminent　in　illustrated　literature。　　Measuring　time　by　poets；　he　may　be　said　to　have　lent　something　of　his　fancy　and　amenity　to　most　of　the　writers　from　Cowper　to　Rogers。　　As　a　draughtsman　he　is　undoubtedly　weak：　　his　figures　are　often　limp　and　invertebrate；　and　his　type　of　beauty　insipid。　　Still；　regarded　as　groups；　the　majority　of　his　designs　are　exquisite；　and　he　possessed　one　allpervading　and　unEnglish　qualitythe　quality　of　grace。　This　is　his　dominant　note。　　Nothing　can　be　more　seductive　than　the　suave　flow　of　his　line；　his　feeling　for　costume；　his　gentle　and　chastened　humour。　　Many　of　his　women　and　children　are　models　of　purity　and　innocence。　　But　he　works　at　ease　only　within　the　limits　of　his　special　powers；　he　is　happier　in　the　pastoral　and　domestic　than　the　heroic　and　supernatural；　and　his　style　is　better　fitted　to　the　formal　salutations　of　〃Clarissa〃　and　〃Sir　Charles　Grandison；〃　than　the　rough　horseplay　of　〃Peregrine　Pickle。〃　　Where　Rowlandson　would　have　revelled；　Stothard　would　be　awkward　and　constrained；　where　Blake　would　give　us　a　new　sensation；　Stothard　would　be　poor　and　mechanical。　　Nevertheless　the　gifts　he　possessed　were　thoroughly　recognised　in　his　own　day；　and　brought　him；　if　not　riches；　at　least　petence　and　honour。　　It　is　said　that　more　than　three　thousand　of　his　drawings　have　been　engraved；　and　they　are　scattered　through　a　hundred　publications。　　Those　to　the　〃Pilgrim's　Progress〃　and　the　poems　of　Rogers　are　monly　spoken　of　as　his　best；　though　he　never　excelled　some　of　the　oldfashioned　plates　（with　their　pretty　borders　in　the　st