The Book-Hunter / A New Edition, with a Memoir of the Author

A collection of essays and a prefatory memoir examines the temperament and pursuits of book-collectors and the social institutions that surround them. It sketches characteristic book-hunters, auction and library habits, distinctions between casual readers, collectors, and scholars, and the mechanics of bibliographies, preservation, and librarianship. Separate sections discuss private book clubs, their organization and notable members, and reproduce or analyze club-published literature and early northern ecclesiastical writings. Interwoven are reminiscences and practical advice on forming and maintaining libraries, with occasional historical and personal anecdotes illustrating the cultural value of conserving books.