New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-14
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
,oMF BOOKS FOR THE B1ELoPHlLE'

THE CONFESSIONS OF A COLLECTOR ny
William Carsw Hazit'. octave PIP VII" "'V'
Dodd. Mead & co.
ARt iMEFSI HN2 BOOK Plates 4 Book Of Rel
erence FOR Book Plate and Print toiicCtors, ny
Henry ". Fncham' Q's''o Pr XVI loo Ao'o'
DE PARIS a LA MER. Voyage dun Peti, ,i Par
isIoa. Par Constant dc Tours. lustre; Quarto,
9 9P xeT FeS5s 9 ). W Boa ii''
LIE GENERALIFE ssrsnades ct sopges; PA Par
octave pp 900 Paris Societe FRANCHISE d'Edi-
lions d'Art New-York j. w Bou,on.
MA PETITE VILE. lie Miracle de Bretasne.
Tn Veuvage dAmour. Par Jean Lorrain Il
Illustrations rBSyare so Ge MI rrancsi .e1 Fd
lions dhrt New-york j. w. Bou,on.
1t Is a good thing to be practical. even in
matters which DO not drive at practice. but seem
10 belong to the most whimsical spheres or ex-
istence The collecting Of books. for example.
doubtless seems to many people n thing with
which practically has nothing 10 do We col
lect books because love them. are
supposed 10 collect for that reason. and practi-
calty has always seemed antthetical to senu-
ment. Yet a good book needs to he kept as
carefully az a horse. a horse needs good sta
bling and grooming. book needs good housing
and careful treatment. This idea IS expanded
into very wise little book by Mr.. Arthur l.
many years he has had opportunities OF in
epecting and reporting upon collections of books
in numerous country houses. and he is driven to
observe that the condition OF books IN the
greater number OF those houses is chaotic. He
has found that a man will nurse his bicycle
with the tenderest care ard leave his books in
the hands q servants VINO would as soon put
valuable binding within ten inches OF an open
fire as sit down 70 their dinner. To warn col
lectors against such things Mr.. Humphreys has
written The Private Library" setting forth
all the little details IN which a who loves
books will be particularly careful. We will
take FOR example. his little homily on damp
This he says means runation. more perhaps
70 the paper than TO the binding. though both
suffer. Damp is caused. told. through
lack OF fires or warmth; through too many sides
Of room being exposed TO the elements without
having the walls battened: through the coming
Of a thaw Just after a frost. and through gas
The remedy for damp is obvious. Keep your
library at an even temperature. The surest
way TO preserve your books" observes Mr.
Blades. a distinguished authority IS to treat
them as you would your own children. who
sure TO sicken II confined in atmosphere
which is impure. too hot, too cold too damp
too dry"
We are glad TO that Mr. Humphreys ad-
vises that best OF all expedents for the preserva-
tion Of books. what might be called annual
book cleaning. a good deal Of harm comes 10
books that left standing for a long time
without careful busting, and especially when
they are packed tightly into the shelves When
busting a book. he TO get the dust of. not
into, the edges. II mildew or damp is dscov-
cred wipe il away and lot the book stand open
for some days In a very dry spot though lot in
front of fire. In fact the whole secret OF pre-
serving library lies in moderation. You must
treat books gently, lovingly; never clean them
IN a hurry. nor with too energetic hand. Mr
Humphreys gives one charming little list Of
maxims We quote them follows:
DO not bite a paper-knife until It has the
edge Of a saw
DO not cut books ex,ept with a proper ivory
paper-knife
1T is runation to q good book not 10 cut II
right through into the corners.
do not turn the leaves Of books down Par
ticularly do not turn the leaves OF books printed
plate paper.
IF YOU are in the habit Of lending books. DO
not mark than. These two acts together con-
stitute act Of indiscraton.
1T is better TO give a book than 10 lend IT,
Never write upon a tiue-page or half-title;
the blank fly leaf is the right place
Books are neither card racks crunb baskets
nor recsptacles for dead leaves.
Books were not meant as cushions nor were
they meant 10 be toasted before fire"
Mr. Humphreys suggests that these maxns
may be learned by heart. or. if preferred. can
be bought by experience We fancy that a
great many collectors viii go on purchasing
them by experience. but r Mr.. Humphreys
little volume reaches them in time they may
learn the error % their ways. His book is prac-
teal from cover to cover and though here and
there there are passages which speak Of the
book-lover turning from the concrete book to
the charm Of the author. yet this remains q
work OF solid instruction.
Mr. Growolrs study Of American Book
Clubs" Is one Of the most useful compilations of
bibliograp hcal literature which we have seen
in long time. To many It's pages will come as
surprise The Grcller club is well known to-
day. tho name ~ the Dunlap Society is not un-
familiar. and there are several Other bookish
societies which have achieved fairly wide repu-
tation. Vet II VIII probably be news 20 many
70 learn that M. GroVou has between thirty and
forty clubs 20 celebrate beginning with a club
called the Junto. which was founded in Phiia-
delphia by Benjamin Franklin and his COM
panions early i'm the last century II is far
cry from the magazines printed under the au-
spices ~ the JuntO 20 such exquisite volumes as
are issued nowadays FOR the members OF club |
like the Grolier. but the spirit Of the bibliophie
was at work in Franklns time as it IS now, and
Mr.. GroNou enumerdtes scores OF forgotten en- /
terprses over which the collector cannot but
grow enthusiastic. a good deal Of curious and .
useful work has been done by American book
clubs. and In many cases their now rare pub- /
cations contain material not accessible in any
bg, nd
place in their hearts for book clubs and there
IS more than one instance OF Clubs having
secured delightful little autobioeraphical en-
henishrnents for It's publications For exnrnnln