New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-22

l nave long since given up buying
books except books Of reference, or per-
haps now and then an irresistible VOL
ume, but l never pass booksellers
window without stopping to look at It's
treasures--they are sometimes treas
ures and sometimes merchandise; and
once in a while ] go In. But in the
selling as in the publishing OF books
the old methods and the old spirit sell
dom occur. doubt whether such
Libraries as the HUH the Gosford. the
Spencer, the Heber and other famous
collections could now be formed II
the material exists IL must in England
he sought in the auction room. Yet
the Paris shops are as rich as ever. A
collector who cared for treasures could
go into the Passage des Panoramas to-
day and be tempted into extravagances
which only n millionaire could afford,
or, II he knew his way about, lay hands
on other treasures at moderate prices.
Morgand's clientele passed with his
stock TO Rahir-known TO many Of
them In Morgand's time and since as
VI. Edouard.
a French collector cares FOR two
, things which the Englishmsn too often
neglects: condition and bindings. You
see the difference not only on the
shelves but In the catalogues issued by
French and English dealers. rhe Eng
/ lgah V,,,Vt - %, ~ -
vague TO slur over defects, to take
things for granted that do not exist a
French catalogue liz precise, specific,
detailed, and as rule entirely accu-
rate In technical matters. When you
buy from a French catalogue you know
pretty well what you are buying. In
English the rule is cdrcdt cmpfOr, and
the more caution the better Of Amerl-
can catalogues ! had rather say moth
ing. Or l Will say that booksellinS In
London and New York IN not an exact
science. l assume that most OF the
New York booksellers mean to be fair,
though fairness 10 their minds is COM
patible with enormous prices and
profits. But they lack eAactness and
variety Of knowledge; nor are the
prices OF their wares always marked in
plain figures. The ultimate fault lies
with their customers, as II does In the
very striking case OF the restaurants
and their cuisine There is In Paris a
trained and critical public. and with
out such a public neither restaurants
nor hookshops can be kept up TO the
highest mark.
But. as l was saying, bookselling in
London seems 10 be more and more
matter of business and less and less a
matter Of books. AS in New York. the
department stores have book
counter; and books are dealt in very
much as boots are. The binders also
have become booksellers. The first OF
them to do II was Bedford; the best
English binder OF his day and, except
Roger Payne, the best OF any day, In
Guiding the present Bedford had
shop In a dull street in Westminster
where ] often went and sometimes
bought books. He bound books 10 sell
10 the general public az well as 10 or
der for his clients; and his front shop
was full Of them. But in those days he
affected a certain prudency about dis-
posing OF them. though he had bought
and bound them for that purpose He
made Il a sort Of condition that you
should not say you had bought them Of
him; lest the booksellers for whom he
bound should come 10 consider him n
rival and withdraw their orders for
binding. II you declined TO pledge
yourself he sold you the books all the
same, and his condition became a mere
request. There is no modesty OF that
kind now. Great gilt signs invite you
TO great shop In a great thorough
fare: to buy books OF 10 order bindings,
or both.
That Is part Of a general tendency.
The great shops predominant. The
circulating Libraries are book sellers as
well az book lenders. Nudes At one
end Of oxford street and The Times
Book Club at the other has each
huge building 20 itself. THE Times"
book business was one of the late Mr..
Moberly Bells creations; In conjunc-
ton with the eminent Mr.. Hooper. II
has all the air OF very fourishing
concern, and suppose IL. At first, you
subscribed 70 THE Times" and the
book club together; they were insep-
arabic. Now you may have either by
itself. II trades I'm new books. In Sec
ond-hand books, and In remainders.
Mr. Moberly Bell carried on long war
with the publishers, whose publications
he asserted a right 20 dispose of as re-
roaInders and at great reduction in
nrlce within, think. three months OF
their first appearance. But as the de-
mand for q successful book endures
rouch longer than three months. the
nnhIIshers resisted this claim. and
6nalIy forced Mr.. Bell TO comply with
tbeir terms. Mr.. Bell was man who
rad n particularly clear view Of his own
oido of a case. and In business matters,
ITO other business men, brought his
,o,rd reluctantly TO the consideration
If the opposite view. But the publish
arc had nm effective method or peace
., ..o~s,,asior. They we're able 20 cut