New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-05-05
BOOK COLLECTORS AND BOOK
PLATES.
SOME FICTION AND MANY FACTS.

THE GREAT BOOK COLLECTORS. BY Charles Isaac
Elton and Mary Augustus Elton. PIP VI. 22o
Charles Scrlbner's Sons.
BOOK.PLATES. Bv ". J. Hardy. F. S. A. PIP. xvi.
1I6. Charles Scribner's sons.
In spite Of the beauty OF this series OF Books About
Books" the hand made paper, the perfect type Of the
Edinburgh University Press, and the quaint illustra-
tons, IS still bound TO think cynlcally OF those
heas that have other feas 10 bite 'em. As In one
case, in the other, there limit TO the null
tplication OF parasitic growths. Nor can one be sure
the parallel might not hold good the farther 1t
was extended Is It at all certain that the complla
ton Of these books upon books proves genuine love
Of literature. more than the parasite proves its
affection for the superior creature upon which II makes
its home? May II not be sign or cause OF literary
decay, as the vine is cause OF death to the tree
which II entwines and gorifes with its malcfcent
beauty
But "The Great Book Collectors" Is a readable col
lation of biographical and photographed facts In
which there Is much personal interest as mere book
ish learning. Groscteste. Duke Humphrey. Pctrarth.
Boccaccio Poggo BraccOni. Rcuclin. the Scaligcrs.
Erasmus, Sir Thomas More, Budaeus. Cotton. Scdcn.
Bodley Cirolier de- Thou. Pine. Peiresc. Naude and
Oldys are Interesting persons aside from their passion
for gathering library. The story OF Poggo's search
for classical anusCrps throughout Europe has al
ways been romance worth rcpcrusal. II me norv
serves he made disparGging remarks about the
book ccllectiors In England which not quoted In
this book The pCilt WAS That ne did not INA the
writings OF high antiquity which he supposed would
reward his search Doubtless the rumOr OF literary
riches at York started by Acun. had lost nothing
as passed down the aSs.
The :act that Mr.. Hardy has to devote few lines
defence OF tho practice Of collecting book plates
shows that Its utility IS not beyond question. lie
condemns rightly the only phase of this pursuit which
can truly be called immoral-that OF wrccking book
in order to carry of book-patc. The excuse for
this bad habit INDUCED by some collectors is that
many books are not worth preserving That Is
matter OF opinion and opinions change from
10 another 1t can never be absolutely certain that
the destruction of a book will time be
matter OF regret to an investigator who mered better
treatment at the hands OF his ignorant predecessors
The best defence OF book plate collecting Is that the
material with which 1t Is concerned be subjected
like coins to historic and scientific discussion. The
varying STYLES bear q relation, obvious when pointed
ont TO styles in the furniture for example. Of differ
ent periods. Some book plates are pictures In the
sense, and possess historic value. Others are
alegorical. In speaking of the last named class Mr..
Hardy might lave done well to show the relation OF
these with that widespread literature. originated by
Alciat, still popular II is said in Holland. and pretty
thoroughly exploited in recent years by the lolbeln
Society-the literature OF embems. In addition to
careful study of English boc,plaes chapters are de
voted 10 those of Germany, France and the United
States. For book plates Of the present day Mr. Hardy
expresses contempt. "The names OF the
arists-Sir John Millais. Mr. Stacy Marks. Randolph
Caldecott Mr.. Walter Crane, Miss Kate Grcenawav
and others-who have found time TO design, sCmc
them only one, some quite considerable number OF
really interesting marks OF ownership suffice to rescue
modern book plates from entire discredit.'