kyns' "Origin and Growth of Printing," 4o, 1664, have become
impossible to get.

When issued, Atkyns' pamphlet had a fine frontispiece, by Logan,
containing portraits of King Charles II, attended by Archbishop Sheldon,
the Duke of Albermarle, and the Earl of Clarendon. As portraits of
these celebrities (excepting, of course, the King) are extremely rare,
collectors have bought up this 4o tract of Atkyns', whenever it has been
offered, and torn away the frontispiece to adorn their collection.

This is why, if you take up any sale catalogue of old books, you are
certain to find here and there, appended to the description, "Wanting
the title," "Wanting two plates," or "Wanting the last page."

It is quite common to find in old MSS., especially fifteenth century,
both vellum and paper, the blank margins of leaves cut away. This will
be from the side edge or from the foot, and the recurrence of this
mutilation puzzled me for many years. It arose from the scarcity of
paper in former times, so that when a message had to be sent which
required more exactitude than could be entrusted to the stupid memory of
a household messenger, the Master or Chaplain went to the library, and,
not having paper to use, took down an old book, and cut from its broad
margins one or more slips to serve his present need.

I feel quite inclined to reckon among "enemies" those bibliomaniacs and
over-careful possessors, who, being unable to carry their treasures into
the next world, do all they can to hinder their usefulness in this. What
a difficulty there is to obtain admission to the curious library of old
Samuel Pepys, the well-known diarist. There it is at Magdalene College,
Cambridge, in the identical book-cases provided for the books by Pepys
himself; but no one can gain admission except in company of two Fellows
of the College, and if a single book be lost, the whole library goes
away to a neighbouring college. However willing and anxious to oblige,
it is evident that no one can use the library at the expense of the
time, if not temper, of two Fellows. Some similar restrictions are in
force at the Teylerian Museum, Haarlem, where a lifelong imprisonment is
inflicted upon its many treasures.

Some centuries ago a valuable collection of books was left to the
Guildford Endowed Grammar School. The schoolmaster was to be held
personally responsible for the safety of every volume, which, if lost,
he was bound to replace. I am told that one master,