An Essay in the History of Gold-Tooled
Bindings by Herbert P. Horne
London 1894
what ever things they wanted, most liberally: even as to all other learned men, well near, which
were absent, and whose names he had only heard of; what ever he had among his Books or
Relicks of Antiquity, which he thought might assist them in their writings, he would send it to
them of his own accord, not only without their desiring the same, but many times when they
were ignorant of such things.' And, elsewhere, we read of him, in his Lift written by Gassendi,
that' as often as he was informed of Books newly come forth, he would have many of them,
which he would partly keep by him, and partly distribute them immediately among his friends,
according as he knew they would like the subject matter thereof. And whether he gave them
away, or kept them, he would be sure to have them neatly bound and covered; to which end he
kept an industrious Bookbinder in his House, who did exquisitely bind and adorn them. Yea, and
sometimes he kept many Bookbinders at once; for one man was hardly ever able to bind up
such store of Books as came trowling in from all parts. Also it happened frequently, that such
Books as he borrowed, being neglected by their owners and ill bound, he delivered to his binder
to be rectified and beautified, viz. when their subject matter or rarity deserved that cost; so that
having received them, ill-bound, and ill-favored, he returned them trim and handsome. And so
he did by all the very old Books which he could get, whether printed or Manuscripts. N or did his
care only extend to such as were entire and perfect; but even to fragments of Books, and
leaves half eaten. And being demanded why he would be at that charge in the Bookbinding, he
would say, the Cause was, inasmuch as the best Books, when they fell into unlearned men's
hands ill-accounted, were pitifully used; he therefore en