binding'; that is, to use a single piece
of paper to cover both back and sides. This is slightly more difficult
and some little patience is needed; but when successfully accomplished
the effect repays one amply. Lay your book on a sheet of coloured paper,
so that the boards are flat whilst you are holding the leaves
perpendicularly; then pencil and rule lines all round, leaving a margin
of about three-quarters of an inch. Cut out this piece, paste it, paste
the back and boards, and lay the book down again on the paper just as you
did to begin with. The book is held in this position with either hand
whilst the edges are turned up over the boards. It takes a little
practice, and one requires some experience in the shrinkage of the paper
used. Old boards that have their corners broken can be easily repaired by
the use of plenty of paste rubbed well into the breaks, and by using
fairly strong covering paper.

There is another matter of which mention must be made here, for it is a
necessary adjunct to the binding of books, and that is cleaning, or
washing, as it is generally called. Often one comes across leaves in a
volume that are stained or spotted in such a manner as to spoil the
appearance of the book which otherwise is perfect. Such blemishes can
usually be removed when the volume is rebound. Either it is not such a
difficult matter as many who have written of these things would have us
believe, or else our book-hunter has been singularly fortunate. For he
confesses to having achieved considerable success in this direction. Like
all other matters involving care and thoroughness, it takes a good deal
of time, and no small amount of trouble; but apart from these
considerations there is no reason why any bibliophile endowed with
patience and a capacity for taking pains, should not attend to the
washing of his more 'grubby' volumes himself.

It is not the writer's intention here to go into the various processes
employed, for that has been done already by experienced bookbinders; but
perhaps the methods which he has employed successfully may be of interest
and, possibly, of some use to beginners.

Perhaps it is hardly necessary to say that your first experiments should
be made upon books of no value whatever, preferably volumes that have
been picked out of the penny tub for this purpose. You will also have
procured (if indeed you do not already possess) a copy of Mr. Douglas
Cockerell's invaluable little book which I hav