treme caution.[50]

There is yet another byway of book-collecting which we must study before
we may graduate in book-lore. To the uninitiated the word 'bibliography'
conveys little more than a mere writing about books. But it is a vast
study, and, if we are to become proficient in it, one that will occupy us
for many years.

For the specialist there is no more delightful pursuit than the
compilation of a bibliography upon the subject of his choice. Not only
will it give him a sound bibliographical knowledge of the books which he
desires and hopes ultimately to possess, but it will enable him to
collate immediately every volume that he acquires. It will also open up a
new field of interest for the young collector, for he will be constrained
to study books from their material aspect; and with a knowledge of the
'natural history' of the book will come a regard for the well-being of
his volumes. So also will he be brought into touch with modern methods of
bibliography, and he will certainly find an additional interest in his
books.

The main objects of bibliography are, briefly, to determine

(i) Whether a book is genuine.

(ii) Whether it is complete and perfect.

(iii) Whether it is in its original condition, _i.e._ as it issued from
the press.

(iv) Whether it has been made up by the insertion of leaves or quires
from another copy or edition.

(v) To provide a standard collation (_i.e._ an accurate description of
the book in its original state) with which other copies may be compared.
For the purpose of the specialist we may add

(vi) To provide a bibliographical catalogue of those books in which he is
especially interested.

All this may sound very simple, but it must be borne in mind that where
no standard collation is available, the only method of providing one is
by a diligent, thorough, and precise study of the leaves, quires,
watermarks and 'make up' of a number of copies. As these things
frequently vary considerably in different copies of the same book, the
task of standardising a collation is by no means an easy one. The
difficulties that beset one in the case of early-printed books are
immense; but with the inconstancies of incunabula we are not concerned
here.

It is easily begun, this making of a bibliography, and it is a delightful
hobby, though necessarily it takes up a good deal of time. The plan which
our book-hunter adopted is as follows, and it has been so successful and
valuable to him th