At the library table

A series of essays and sketches offering affectionate, often witty reflections on book collecting, libraries, bindings, and book‑lover culture. The writer mixes anecdote and criticism to defend antiquarian tastes while gently satirizing collector pretensions, describing habits of clubs and private readers and the aesthetics of printing and binding. Two expanded literary sketches profile William Harrison Ainsworth and George P. R. James, combining biographical notes with critical judgment. The tone alternates between playful and earnest, aimed at readers who enjoy memoir, bibliographical observation, and informal literary criticism.