others in
print--and what can be more delicate than the texture of the vellum
leaves, or more perfect than the execution of penmanship and printing?

ALMAN. I have often set whole hours, my dear brother, in contemplating
with rapture the sparkling radiance of these little volumes; and wish
in my heart I had a few favourite authors executed in a similar
manner! I should like to employ Bodoni[446] for life.

[Footnote 446: It is not because Bodoni printed better than
our popular printers--that his books upon vellum are more
beautiful than those produced by the London presses--but
that the Italian vellum (made of the abortive calf) is, in
general, more white and delicate. There is not, perhaps, a
lovelier little VELLUM BOOK in existence than the _Castle of
Otranto_, printed by Bodoni in 1796, 8vo. A copy of this,
with the plates worked on white satin, was in the collection
of Mr. G.G. Mills; and sold at the sale of his books in
1800; no. 181; see p. 447, ante. From the former
authority it would appear that only six copies were printed
in this manner. By the kindness of Mr. Edwards, I am in
possession of a '_Lettera Pastorale_' of Fr. Adeodato
Turchi--a small tract of 38 pages--printed upon paper, by
Bodoni, in a style of uncommon delicacy: having all the
finish and picturesque effect of copper-plate execution. But
the chef d'oeuvre of Bodoni seems to be an edition of
_Homer_, in three great folio volumes, each consisting of
370 pages, with the text only. The artist employed six years
in the preparations, and the printing occupied eighteen
months. One hundred and forty copies only were struck off.
The copy presented to Bonaparte was UPON VELLUM, of a size
and brilliancy altogether unparalleled. _American Review_,
no. 1., p. 171. January, 1811. In our admiration of
Bodoni, let us not forget DIDOT: who printed a single copy
of _Voltaire's Henriade_ UPON VELLUM, in quarto, with a
brilliancy of execution, and perfection of vellum, which can
never be suppassed [Transcriber's Note: surpassed]. This
copy formerly belonged to a Farmer General, one of Didot's
most intimate friends, who perished in the Revolution. Didot
also printed a number of copies of French translations of
English works, upon the same material: so correct,
beautiful, and tasteful, that Mr. Bulmer