THE essays in this volume have, for the most part, already appeared in an
American edition (Combes, New York, 1886). The Essays on ‘Old French
Title-Pages’ and ‘Lady Book-Lovers’ take the place of ‘Book Binding’ and
‘Bookmen at Rome;’ ‘Elzevirs’ and ‘Some Japanese Bogie-Books’ are
reprinted, with permission of Messrs. Cassell, from the Magazine of Art;
‘Curiosities of Parish Registers’ from the Guardian; ‘Literary Forgeries’
from the Contemporary Review; ‘Lady Book-Lovers’ from the Fortnightly
Review; ‘A Bookman’s Purgatory’ and two of the pieces of verse from
Longman’s Magazine—with the courteous permission of the various editors.
All the chapters have been revised, and I have to thank Mr. H. Tedder for
his kind care in reading the proof sheets, and Mr. Charles Elton, M.P.,
for a similar service to the Essay on ‘Parish Registers.’