"...but let me take this opportunity, my dear Georgiana, to intreat you to put a total stop to a practice that hurts my feelings because it so greatly injures you. I mean till your affairs are completely settled not to spend any money (however tifling the sum) idly. Your finely bound books pain me more than I can describe. Even the most common books, the rarest print, or whatever may most claim your wishes to purchase, you should steadily deny yourself..."-Lady Spencer
6 September 1805
What?!? I guess I would have been more like the 18th century bibliophiles who would pauper themselves to buy rare and fine books on the continent; they frequently found good bargains by buying out monastic libraries when the Church closed them down. There are some great stories of 18th century bibliophiles (and bibliomaniacs) in A Passion for Books, by Harold Rabinowitz and Rob Kaplan.
ReplyDeleteI heard that it used to be common to buy books with cheap paper covers, and then the wealthy would have them custom bound to match the other books of their custom library.
ReplyDeleteIt does make sense when you think about it!
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