the library(图书馆)-第12部分
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THE LIBRARY39
art； and give modern books a peculiar and appropriate raiment。
M。 Ambrose Firmin Didot has left some notes on a more serious
topic；the colours to be chosen when books are full…bound in morocco。
Thus he would have the 〃Iliad〃 clothed in red； the 〃Odyssey〃 in blue；
because the old Greek rhapsodists wore a scarlet cloak when they recited
the Wrath of Achilles； a blue one when they chanted of the Return of
Odysseus。 The writings of the great dignitaries of the Church； M。 Didot
would array in violet； scarlet goes well with the productions of cardinals；
philosophers have their sober suit of black morocco； poets like Panard
may be dressed in rose colour。 A collector of this sort would like； were it
possible； to attire Goldsmith's poems in a 〃coat of Tyrian bloom； satin
grain。〃 As an antithesis to these extravagant fancies； we may add that for
ordinary books no binding is cheaper； neater； and more durable； than a
coat of buckram。
The conditions of a well bound book may be tersely enumerated。
The binding should unite solidity and elegance。 The book should open
easily； and remain open at any page you please。 It should never be
necessary； in reading； to squeeze back the covers； and no book； however
expensively bound； has been properly treated； if it does not open with ease。
It is a mistake to send recently printed books to the binder； especially
books which contain engravings。 The printing ink dries slowly； and； in
the process called 〃beating；〃 the text is often transferred to the opposite
page。 M。 Rouveyre recommends that one or two years should pass
before the binding of a newly printed book。 The owner will； of course；
implore the binder to； spare the margins； and； almost equally of course； the
binder； durus arator； will cut them down with his abominable plough。
One is almost tempted to say that margins should always be left untouched；
for if once the binder begins to clip he is unable to resist the seductive joy；
and cuts the paper to the quick； even into the printed matter。 Mr。 Blades
tells a very sad story of a nobleman who handed over some Caxtons to a
provincial binder； and received them back MINUS 500 pounds worth of
margin。 Margins make a book worth perhaps 400 pounds； while their
absence reduces the same volume to the box marked 〃all these at
fourpence。〃 Intonsis capillis； with locks unshorn； as Motteley the old
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dealer used to say； an Elzevir in its paper wrapper may be worth more than
the same tome in morocco； stamped with Longepierre's fleece of gold。
But these things are indifferent to bookbinders； new and old。 There lies
on the table； as I write； 〃Les Provinciales； ou Les Lettres Ecrites par Louis
de Montalte a un Provincial de ses amis； & aux R。R。 P。P。 Jesuites。 A
Cologne； Ches PIERRE de la VALLEE； M。DC。LVIII。〃 It is the Elzevir
edition； or what passes for such； but the binder has cut down the margin so
that the words 〃Les Provinciales〃 almost touch the top of the page。 Often
the wretchhe lived； judging by his style； in Derome's time； before the
Revolutionhas sliced into the head… titles of the pages。 Thus the book；
with its old red morocco cover and gilded flowers on the back； is no
proper companion for 〃Les Pensees de M。 PASCAL （Wolfganck； 1672）；〃
which some sober Dutchman has left with a fair allowance of margin； an
inch 〃taller〃 in its vellum coat than its neighbour in morocco。 Here once
more； is 〃LES FASCHEUX； Comedie de I。 B。 P。 MOLIERE； Representee
sur Le Theatre du Palais Royal。 A Paris； Chez GABRIEL QUINET； au
Palais； dans la Galerie des Prisonniers； a l'Ange Gabriel； M。DCLXIII。
Avec privilege du Roy。〃 What a crowd of pleasant memories the
bibliophile； and he only； finds in these dry words of the title。 Quinet； the
bookseller； lived 〃au Palais；〃 in that pretty old arcade where Corneille cast
the scene of his comedy； 〃La Galerie du Palais。〃 In the Geneva edition of
Corneille； 1774； you can see Gravelot's engraving of the place； it is a print
full of exquisite charm （engraved by Le Mure in 1762）。 Here is the long
arcade； in shape exactly like the galleries of the Bodleian Library at
Oxford。 The bookseller's booth is arched over； and is open at front and
side。 Dorimant and Cleante are looking out； one leans on the books on
the window…sill； the other lounges at the door； and they watch the pretty
Hippolyte who is chaffering with the lace…seller at the opposite shop。
〃Ce visage vaut mieux que toutes vos chansons；〃 says Dorimant to the
bookseller。 So they loitered； and bought books； and flirted in their lace
ruffles； and ribbons； and flowing locks； and wide canons； when Moliere
was young； and when this little old book was new； and lying on the
shelves of honest Quinet in the Palace Gallery。 The very title…page； and
pagination； not of this second edition； but of the first of 〃Les Fascheux；〃
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had their own fortunes； for the dedication to Fouquet was perforce
withdrawn。 That favourite entertained La Valliere and the King with the
comedy at his house of Vaux； and then instantly fell from power and
favour； and； losing his place and his freedom； naturally lost the flattery of
a dedication。 But retombons a nos coches； as Montaigne says。 This
pleasant little copy of the play； which is a kind of relic of Moliere and his
old world； has been ruthlessly bound up with a treatise； 〃Des Pierres
Precieuses；〃 published by Didot in 1776。 Now the play is naturally a
larger book than the treatise on precious stones； so the binder has cut down
the margins to the size of those of the work on amethysts and rubies。 As
the Italian tyrant chained the dead and the living together； as Procrustes
maimed his victims on his cruel bed； so a hard…hearted French binder has
tied up； and mutilated； and spoiled the old play； which otherwise would
have had considerable value as well as interest。
We have tried to teach the beginner how to keep his books neat and
clean； what men and monsters he should avoid； how he should guard
himself against borrowers； book…worms； damp； and dirt。 But we are
sometimes compelled to buy books already dirty and dingy； foxed； or
spotted with red； worn by greasy hands； stained with ink spots； or covered
with MS。 notes。 The art of man has found a remedy for these defects。 I
have never myself tried to wash a book； and this care is best left to
professional hands。 But the French and English writers give various
recipes for cleaning old books； which the amateur may try on any old
rubbish out of the fourpenny box of a bookstall； till he finds that he can
trust his own manipulations。 There are 〃fat stains〃 on books； as thumb
marks； traces of oil （the midnight oil）； flakes of old pasty crust left in old
Shakespeares； and candle drippings。 There are 〃thin stains；〃 as of mud；
scaling…wax； ink； dust； and damp。 To clean a book you first carefully
unbind it； take off the old covers； cut the old stitching； and separate sheet
from sheet。 Then take a page with 〃fat stains〃 of any kind of grease
（except finger…marks）； pass a hot flat iron over it； and press on it a clean
piece of blotting paper till the paper sucks up the grease。 Then charge a
camel…hair brush with heated turpentine； and pass it over the places that
were stained。 If the paper loses its colour press softly over it a delicate
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handkerchief； soaked in heated spirits of wine。 Finger…marks you will
cover with clean soap； leave this on for some hours； and then rub with a
sponge filled with hot water。 Afterwards dip in weak acid and water； and
then soak the page in a bath of clean water。 Ink…stained pages you will
first dip in a strong solution of oxalic acid and then in hydrochloric acid
mixed in six times its quantity of water。 Then bathe in clean water and
allow to dry slowly。
Some English recipes may also be given。 〃Grease or wax spots；〃
says Hannett； in 〃Bibliopegia；〃 〃may be removed by washing the part with
ether； chloroform； or benzine； and placing it between pieces of white
blotting paper； then pass a hot iron over it。〃 〃Chlorine w
