New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-05
TO DRAMATIC 4PILeRIM.s PROGRESS
BOOK MADNESS.
Frauds Of Book agents and FoHies
of Book Buyers.

The distressing case or the estinable lady
whose family has recently asked the aid OF
the court 10 save her IN her Old age from being
bankrupted by book agents compeIs a new con-
sideration Of the foIlies concealed under the
subscription book habit. There is the ignorant
notion that nine-tenths or the so-caued lin
tied editions ara either limited or OF special
value. There is the degradation OF the honor
able name OF book publisher by rnultitudes OF
adventures trying speculations in snowy books
much as they might IN leaf-lard There IS thu
unspeakanle book agent. invading private houses
Ike the plague OF frogs in Egypt. with his cheap
recitation OF the pretentious phrases from his
publishers" advertising literature There Is
the ambitious woman who thinks il a sign OF
culture" 70 possess rows OF editions de luxe
There is the parvenu who must have MS books
as shiny his furniture and so loads hts
shelves with what he fondly considers "fne
bindings 10 wit commercial bindings done
Wholesale and bought ready made ike the suits
at Bowery hand rne-doyvr" shop. There "a
the nouveau richie. who has advanced from
chromos 10 real. hand painted pictures
IL Ike manner he passes through the stage OF
'Grangerizec" books. padded out with old wood
cuts or Illustrations torn from magazines OF
the period and may Yet land In The superdne
luxury Of brand new editions Of old novels thar
are 10 be kept superlative not only by an al
legged limit but by prix fou Of say a thou
sand dollars a volume Concerning al these fol-
lies and the hapless victims OF them. The Even
ing Post last night mad some judicious reaec-
tons. as follows:
Should a new Dibdin arise TO chronicle the va
carries or book collecting he would not fan 10 com
men "a d case detailed m this morning press. An
od lady. on the point Ok seIile breakdown zen into
the hands u certain bookdealers who In the course
o. Two years, made sales ana contracts with her
---l---s - s-egyJy belilS tlree-quarters Of her
entire property. Previous 10 this she mad not
bought may readily 5e imagined-liuited editions
Norlh possibly quarter Of the subscription price
extra illustrated cOples-always uncertain value
at perhaps ten times the cost % collecting ana
manufacturing. standard undesirables OF he aur-
Naturally, her relatives suing 10 annul theso
transactions and the decision OF the court may la
bare peculiarly insidous kird or rascaIty 80
For II Is not merely the feeble minded who arc
booHmea the memory is SIN fresh OF trust COM
most extravagaut bindings were Inlos,iaF ~ S,te
cation and suicide were the natural sequence OF his
been spent went under the hammer al about I0
cents the dollar Less tragic. but equally insfrrlc-
luxe upon the assurance that they were n IONS I9
NE customary 1.-THE OF their cost at auction. These
two victims were successful business men and
evidently their mlschance must bee due either 10
some extraordinary alteration on their own part
~ ~ uncommon skill IN me plausible vender- No
other class OF collectors is so Ditfuly mulcled IN
fact. for a parallel enc must refer To the most
I brazen promotions Of Wall Street
Your amateur who picks up Diazes and Corots
yer h is be satd him that he gets what he
lAes, thai he pays not Iar from ITS commercial
auction recover something like the price he naid
In other words the delicious nope that YOUR 49,
may a Corot Is reasonably worth a few dollars
20 certain Compartments, while the vender saves
errors ~ Description Far more uPhappu ~ i Tos
ingenious book collector 8 lot his fine editions
I Eupposiug. Is rarely the case. that thew ara
o. honest manufacture. worth little more than
zr- tones mat burden Lls sAeNes VIII bring
feirs " creditors a little less than the selling
fabricated initials special levant and satin doub
lures will fetch from a hall 70 a tenth OF hts sub
fraudulent. why. then does the trafic thrfves
What prevents the examples OF notable victims
from being pondered by those who are trying ~
resist the siren voice OF the speculative bookseller
Apparently, some curious perversion OF our Amer
I lean superstition for book learning The Hrs+
thought OF the new Ilch seems 10 be to line his
pursuits may have taught him something abou,
he welcomes Competent GUIDANCE. lands bc,iss
yachts and automobiles lie well within his business
s 81, 5I5op1, foy + t a5noit ions rus ateIacy
10 fan behind his bookseller in knowledge OF tho
number and kind OF books that should be in every
gentlemans library. and his purchases represent
on the one hand. the qualification OF parvenu self
tribute 70 the American fetch OF educatio i''o
how 70 protect the defenceless millionaire Is the
praeueAI issue When he or she is feeble minded
the courts viii look TO the matter When the
without actual fraud, there IS no remedy except
repentance and conversion Possibly those gentle
pront, as Il certainly would be 20 the common ad-
vantage. 10 organize a Salvation Army OF Rfblio-
pnies-a sort az rescue corps TO save presUmptuous
collectors rom worshipping the mammon OF bibIio-
graphical unrighteousness And yet II Is doubtful IL
te 1nchastened spirit OF millionaire with shelves
q h can Ice bent to the Rustere simplicity OF first
editions in the original boards" Sun. the cause
II inspiring one and IL is respectfully submitted
20 that repository or evangelical orthodoxy in mat
tiers bOokish the Grolier Club. II might be well TO
expose the fraudulent booksellers by cases IN
mschinations futile by Convincing the erTnS c5ee
tor OF the folly OF his ways.