ke
it; so that at length we are faced with the choice between a formidable
binder's bill and the alternative of harbouring a collection of wrecks.

This temptation to acquire imperfect books and poor copies is a most
insidious one, and few collectors can withstand it altogether. Andrew
Lang, than whom there was never a more genuine book-lover, seems to have
been as susceptible as most of us. 'I believe no man,' he writes in
'Books and Bookmen,' 'has a library so rich in imperfect works as the
author of these pages.' Yet although the purchasing of a volume in a
state of decay (externally, that is) is sometimes unavoidable, it should
be every collector's endeavour, however modest his means, to avoid buying
dilapidated books. If a book be at all frequent in occurrence it is far
better to bide our time until a better copy turns up, even though we may
have to pay a few shillings more for it, than to rest content with the
possession of a sorry example in which we can take no pride, and one that
will never be worth a penny more than we gave for it until it has passed
through the binder's hands. Remember also that although the choicest
binder in Europe may lavish his art upon our volume, yet a taller and
cleaner copy _in the original, or contemporary, binding_, and in perfect
condition, will ever command a better price in the sale-room. Our choice
in binding--however appropriate to the book--may not be the choice of him
who next possesses the volume.

As an example of this discretion which one must exercise in rebinding
one's volumes, here is an incident that occurred in a London sale-room a
few years ago. A copy of Jane Austen's 'Mansfield Park' in three volumes,
1814, was put up for auction and realised L20. It was bound in boards and
was entirely uncut. Nevertheless it was not in the original binding, but
it had been rebound in precisely the same style as that in which it was
originally published. The paper labels had been reprinted in facsimile,
and the edges had not been tampered with in any respect, not even
'trimmed.' The best price that had been realised previously for an uncut
copy in the original boards was L18 10s.

The owner was indeed wise in his generation. Had he sent the volumes to
his binder to be bound in full morocco 'extra,' at a cost of, perhaps,
twenty shillings apiece, the work would have realised, probably, seven or
eight pounds. But by good judgment (and, in the writer's opinion at
least, good taste)