Читать книгу American Book-Plates: A Guide to Their Study with Examples - Charles Dexter Allen - Страница 6

Table of Contents

F all forms of book-plates the simplest possible is the printed name of the owner, unaccompanied by either motto, device, or ornamentation of any kind. Such a plate had Philip Hone, one of the founders of the Mercantile Library, and in the early twenties a mayor of the city of New York. His plate is merely a bit of paper with his name in bold script printed upon it from an engraved copper-plate.

This style of plate is not chronologically the earliest, but is taken as our starting-point because of its unrelieved simplicity; this fulfils the mission of the book-plate—it proclaims the ownership of the book in which it is seen; not in delicate language, to be sure, not with any invitation to dip into the volume in hand, not with any evidence of the owner’s taste in reading, but with a directness not to be misunderstood.

The essential part of the book-plate is the name of the owner; and while this is sufficient of itself, it is found profitable and pleasant to accompany it with an apt quotation from a favorite author, with a caution against the improper

handling of books, with a warning of the sad result of declining Wisdom’s guidance, or with an invitation to enjoy the beauties of literature and to share the benefits of careful reading. In addition to these mere typographical adjuncts an opportunity is offered for the display of those more decorative garnishments which have led to the development of the handsomer styles of plates.

Alexander Stedman’s: Thomas Thaxter’s, 1791: William W. Potter’s Book: Aaron Woolworth’s, Ex Dono Rev. S. Buell, D.D. These plates use the possessive case, are embellished with borders of ornamental type, and supply some further information by showing the date of their being used, or by naming the giver of the volumes. Other styles of expressing book-ownership are afforded by the following: Nicolas Pike His Book 1768: Hannah Adams, Medfield 179-: The Property of John Clap, Roxbury 1791: Davidis Dickinson Liber, A.D. 1796: Lieut. E. Trenchard, U. S. Navy: Simeon Baldwin, Owner: Ex Libris I. G. Thomas: Library T. W. Curtis, No.: Belonging to the Library of Thomas Forrest Betton, Germantown Pa.: The Property of John Weld native of Pomfret, Conn. Resident of Pomfret, Bo’t of Mr. James Steele of Hartford, January 12, 1796: W. Lewis, Ejus Liber: Johann Christoph Kunze, Prediger in Philadelphia: Emmanuel Jones e Coll; Gul; et Ma: 1756.

These old type-set labels with their quaint borders of ornamental type—scrolls, flourishes, stars, vines, and even grammatical signs—are usually found to be printed on good white handmade paper, which was seldom trimmed with care; occasionally a tinted paper is found—yellow more often than any other, but sometimes a blue or green; these served the less pretentious of our ancestors in lieu of the coats-of-arms and family mottoes of those of higher lineage, and are found in quantities throughout the New England and Middle States: even farther south they are not uncommon, but are not so numerous.

In making up these ornamental borders the type was usually set in the form of a parallelogram, occasionally in a square, oval, circle, or diamond, and seldom in fanciful shapes. The most ambitious plate of this kind which has come under my observation is that which once graced the books of Mary McGinley; this is a rather large plate, and the type is set in the form of an urn, within the lines of which are given the motto and the owner’s name.

A step in advance of these wholly typographical examples are those which employ a woodcut border to surround the name, and instances can be given of such a border enclosing the name printed from type; festoons of flowers or of cord, and draperies of cloth, were also used as a simple setting for the owner’s name. In this connection mention may be made of the work of T. Sparrow, an obscure engraver of Maryland; no heraldic or pictorial examples of his workmanship have been identified, and he probably confined himself to the simple woodcut designs of which but a small number are known. Always using a border of floriated scrolls, he never omitted an original contrivance which is the characteristic mark of his work—a group of thirteen stars surrounded often by a wreath. This is always found in a prominent place, and is an indication of his patriotism as well as that of the owner of the plate.

It must not be supposed that the heraldic book-plate was an outgrowth or development of the name-label: not at all; they were contemporaneous and were both used in England long before they were here.

Coming now to the subject of mottoes, we find a wide field to travel over, many languages to read, many quotations to recognize, with hints and warnings, and even threatenings, by the score, from jealous book-lovers. Mottoes readily fall into two classes: those which are chosen by the owner for some personal reason, and those which are family mottoes, and which are used without thought because they are a family inheritance, or with a commendable pride in such legacies from an honorable ancestry. Latin is the language most often used probably, though English is a strong rival, while German, French, Greek, and even Hebrew and Welsh are also found upon our book-plates. Sentiments opposing the habit of book-borrowing are of frequent occurrence, and in some instances are of such severity as to leave no doubt of their effectiveness. For brevity and pointedness the following example can hardly be exceeded:—

This book was bought and paid for by D. C. Colesworthy. Borrowing neighbors are recommended to supply themselves in the same manner. Price seventy-five cents.

On the book-plate of D. W. Jayne the following verse from the Bible is used:—

Go ye rather to them that sell and buy for yourselves. Matt. Chap. xxv. ver. 9.

Verses from Holy Writ are quite frequently used on plates, and the style of expression found in the Psalms and Proverbs is borrowed as adding an authoritative emphasis to the words of caution and advice—

The wicked borrow, and returneth not: do thou not like unto them.

Return what thou borroweth with the most sacred punctuality, and withhold it not.

On the plate of a book-lover in Charleston, S.C.—

And ye shall keep me until the fourteenth day. And it shall be when thou hast made an end of reading this book. Send me away unto my master. Ex. xii. 6: Jer. li. 63: Gen. xxiv. 54.

Every one has suffered from book-borrowers, even from school-day times, when the rude doggerel—

Steal not this book for fear of shame, For here you see the owner’s name,

or its variant,

Steal not this book for fear of strife, For its owner carries a huge jack-knife,

was printed in coarse letters across the cover of the books most likely to go astray. How irritating it is to find the very volume one needs at the moment, missing from its accustomed place on the shelf; if anything is lacking to complete the torment of the discovery, let it be impossible to find out who has taken the desired volume, or to get any clew as to when it went or where!

Private Library of J. N. Candee Cole, This book is not loaned. Matt. xxv. 9.

Read not books alone: but men, and be careful to read thyself. The property of John Lambert, South Reading.

To Borrowers of Books. You remember, my friend, I freely comply’d With the favour you asked me, and fully relied On a favour from you, which, tho’ promised, I find, As it hasn’t been granted, is out of your mind, To return in due time what I’ve wanted to see, The Book, which ’tis long since you borrow’d of me. Another I now with reluctance implore, ’Tis only to ask that you borrow no more.

Stolen from J. W. Houx,

Book-keeping taught in three words, Never lend them.

The would-be borrower who finds these sentiments in the book he was about to ask for will scarcely be encouraged to do so, and for directness they are exceeded by only one example, in which the owner’s name is followed by the simple declaration, He does not lend books. The motto on the plate of the late George Ticknor—Suum cuique, To every man his own—was also calculated to discourage the borrower.

But some people do lend books, and have them returned too—in good second-hand condition. And so it comes about that the proper use of books is made the subject of another class of mottoes.

My Friend! Should you this book peruse, Please to protect it from abuse: Nor soil, nor stain, nor mark its page, Nor give it premature old age: And, when it has effected all, Please to return it ere I call.

The following verse is common property and is found on several plates:—

If thou art borrowed by a friend, Right welcome shall he be To read, to study, not to lend, And to return to me.

Not that imparted learning doth Diminish learning’s store, But books, I find, if often lent, Return to me no more.

Read slowly, Pause frequently, Think seriously, Return duly with the corners of the leaves not turned down.

Neither blemish this book, nor the leaves double down, Nor lend it to each idle friend in the town: Return it when read—or if lost please supply Another, as good to the mind and the eye. With right and with reason you need but be friends And each book in my study your pleasure attends.

If through respect or love I lend This book unto my worthy friend, He must not soil, abuse, nor tear, But read with diligence and care; And when its contents you have learned, Remember, it must be Returned.

On the plate of Samuel W. Francis appear the following lines:—

Any one may borrow, But a gentleman returns.

The property of Thomas C. Cowan. Borrower, read, mark, and Avoid the former part of Psalm xxxvii. 21.

If you borrow, freely use it, Take great care and don’t abuse it: Read, but neither lose nor lend it, Then unto the owner send it.

Never open a book farther than to bring both sides of the cover on to the same plane. Never lend a borrowed book, but return it as soon as you are through with it, so that the owner may not be deprived of its use. You may think this a strange request, but I find that although many of my friends are poor arithmeticians, they are nearly all of them good book-keepers.

In strong contrast to all the preceding are those mottoes of generous souls who find no pleasure in withholding their treasures, but who wish to have it understood that they are for the use of all; not very many are bold enough to thus advertise their willingness to lend, but a few do so, and generally by the use of the Latin, Sibi et amicis, or et amicorum.

Sentiments in praise of books and reading are not uncommon, and quotations from classic writers both in prose and poetry do good service on book-plates. Pope’s well-known lines—

A little learning is a dangerous thing, Drink deep or taste not the Pierian Spring; Where shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, But drinking largely sobers us again.

are found on an old American plate.

On a recent New York plate—

Far more seemly were it for thee to have thy Study full of Books than thy purse full of money. Lilly.

On a Maine plate—

Who learns and learns but does not what he learns, Is one who plows and plows but never sows. ———— Weigh well each thought, each sentence freely scan, In Reason’s balance try the works of man. Be bias’d not by those who praise or blame, Nor, Servile, Yield opinion to a name.

On a recent Boston plate—

Un bon livre est un bon ami.

On a recent Western plate—

A jolly goode booke, Whereon to looke, Is better to me than golde.

On a recent Washington plate—

A trusty villain, sir, that very oft when I am dull with care and melancholy lightens my humour.

The mottoes on the plates of those who have achieved distinction have a peculiar interest, especially when chosen by the owners themselves. The plate of Henry W. Longfellow bears the following line:—

Non clamor sed amor,

which is from an unknown author and is found in the following verse:—

Non vox sed votum, Non chordas sed cor, Non clamor sed amor, Sonat in aure Dei.

Not voice but vow, Not harp-string, but heart-string, Not loudness but love, Sound in the ear of God.

The motto of George Washington—Exitus acta probat, is not given in the accepted lists as the family motto of his ancestors, but it may have been such. The meaning of it has brought out criticism recently because of its Jesuitical sound—“The end shows the deed.” But this may also be taken as a patriotic utterance in view of the part of the illustrious owner of this plate in the Revolution.

On the plate of William Penn we see a motto most fitting for the character he sustained, Dum clavum rectum teneam—“While I hold to glory, let me hold to right.” In the plate the third word is omitted, as the engraver found the motto too long for the space reserved, and through some

blunder the r in clarum is changed to a v, which makes no sense at all.

On the plate of George Bancroft, the late historian, a chubby cherub bears a panel on which is the motto, Sursum corda. Another plate was also used by Mr. Bancroft which was in all respects like the above, except that the motto was changed to ΕΙΣ ΦΑΟΣ.

The plate of the late Mr. George W. Childs has the following motto whose appropriateness is evident at once—The pen is mightier than the sword. Above this a second motto of equal appropriateness is given—Nihil sine labore.

On the plate of Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Per ampliora ad altiora is given upon a ribbon under a beautiful drawing of the “chambered nautilus.”