that it has been characterized by the name of "Trautzology."

It was but natural that an episode like this should come to an end. The younger men, from 1870 to 1885, under the influence of the new art, "art nouveau," which had its inception in England, began their struggle against the "archæological," raising the standard of individualism - the expression of themselves and of the subject of their books. Now for the first time was heard the plea for the characterization of the book in the design of its cover.

We have said that fine bindings depend upon patronage for their existence. With the fall of the Empire, patronage in its old sense died, but a new kind arose with the formation in 1874 of an association of collectors calling themselves "Les amis des livres," who determined to produce books in which authors, artists, printers, and binders were to collaborate in obtaining harmonious results.

Publishers, also, like Couquet, C. Lévy, P. Dauze, A. Ferroud, Romagnol, and others, were quick to follow in the new development, associating with them the best artists and illustrators of the day, like Félix Bracquemond, Adolphe Lalauze, M. Leloir, A. Lepère, and many others.

With the movement, the binders were intimately associated, and very important factors they were. Entirely new relations between the contributors to the production of the book came into existence. The binder from being a workman, became a person, an "artist;" he began to write books; to exhibit in salons of his own; and, generally, was one to be reckoned with. The whole period is distinguished by his ambition to surpass and to obtain recognition. Men trained in the rendering of the archæological styles, pastmasters in the art of gilding, like those whose works are in the Spencer Collection, Gruel, Canape, Capé, Chambolle, Cuzin, Lortic, Mercier, and Marius Michel, broke away gradually but surely from the traditions, to make and execute their own designs. The desire for harmony between the cover and the book extended even to materials and methods of workmanship, as for instance — an extreme one in the "Aurora Australis" of the Spencer Collection, for which the wood of a packing case which contained provisions for the British Antarctic expedition of 1907, is used.

Mosaics, in the richest of leathers, crushed and plain, cover the sides, backs,

and doublures of these books, while the richest of silks, satins, and other stuffs are often added to give greater luxuriance. New methods for the treatment of the leather, unheard of before, are adopted, such as modeled leather to produce the effect of sculpture in relief; chiseled leather, to produce the effect of etching; and material other than leather, such as porcelains, metals, and enamels.

Many of the designs made under the influence of these new conditions are varied and striking, having no suggestion of anything which had gone before, with the possible exception of some of Padeloup's most extreme mosaics in the Chinese style. They range through the conventionalized renderings of motives, the partly conventionalized to the naturalistic, and they embrace all forms of ornament, animal, vegetable, and human. The influence of the Japanese method of ornamentation, for which a craze had been worked up, and the influence of the picture-poster, are strongly felt.

Perhaps the most striking thing about these modern bindings is the large size of the lines with which the design is constructed, epecially when compared with the delicacy of line of the older forms of decoration. This is due to the bigness of the design itself, -large wreaths of flowers and leaves, large birds, or butterflies, large pictures covering the whole of the boards, and not to any lack of skill in the rendering of this part of the binder's art. Skill was never more in evidence, it had never been called upon to such an extent, and technical difficulties hardly seem to exist except to be played with. Largeness is the keynote to the whole movement.

Of the individual binders, Marius Michel may be said to be the dominating spirit, the most original and important name today. While master of the older styles, there is no method of the new styles that he does not essay with an individuality which may easily be distinguished from those of his competitors. Although thought so revolutionary at first, his designs have come to be accepted as the best examples of the search for a new style. In the twenty-five books collected by Mr. Spencer, the range of Michel's work in mosaics is well shown, especially his fondness for partly conventionalized flower motives. Illustrations of five of his bindings are given herewith. In the twenty-seven examples of Émile Mercier's work collected by Mr. Spencer

may be seen the perfection of gilding by this "impeccable" master of that art, one who has never advanced so far afield from the traditions as Michel, but whose designs are always characterized by elegance and taste. One of the illustrations herewith shows his binding for Gautier's "Jean et Jeannette."

Léon Gruel, while not so strongly individual in his designs as Michel, is yet as versatile in his methods of expressing them. His chiseled bindings, like the "Imitation of Christ" here shown, is a good example of his work.

To be convinced of the consummate workmanship of the French binders, to

O

GIFTS

F the gifts received by the Library during the month of May the two following are especially worthy of mention:

From Mrs. Hiram Lake of Conneaut, Ohio, came two manuscripts of interest in connection with the history of Mormonism - an agreement between Solomon Spalding and Henry Lake, dated Conneaut, Ohio, 8 March 1811, and an unsigned letter dated Conneaut, 31 December 1833, relating to the recognition by the writer of the identity between entries of the Book of Mormon and the Solomon Spalding manuscript.

From Mrs. Benjamin S. Church of New York came 15 volumes and 35 pamphlets, among which were the following: Minutes of the Aqueduct Commissioners, vols. 1-5 (1883-1889), N. Y. 1889-90; Report to the Aqueduct Commissioners by the President, James C. Spencer, containing reports of the Secretary, John C. Sheehan, and of the Chief Engineer, Benjamin S. Church; "Reports on researches concerning the design and construction of high masonry dams, in view of the proposed building of Quaker Bridge Dam," by B. S. Church, Chief Engineer, 1889; and other reports on the construction of Quaker Bridge Dam, the Washington Bridge over the Harlem River, Boston Water Works, etc. Among the interesting miscellaneous gifts were the following: From the Bahai Assembly of New York City, 8 volumes and 44 pamphlets relating to the Bahai Movement; from the Metropolitan Opera

Company, the opera programmes for the season 1913/1914; from Mr. Louis Marshall of New York the "Proceedings of the Court for the trial of Impeachments The people of the State of New York by the Assembly thereof against William Sulzer as Governor, held at the Capitol in the City of Albany, New York, Sept. 18, 1913 to October 17, 1913" (Volumes 1 and 2); from Mr. Joseph H. Fussell of Point Loma four pamphlets on theosophical subjects; from the American Telephone & Telegraph Co., New York, 172 volumes and 86 pamphlets (43 sets) of the “Brief of Arguments against public ownership," vol. 1-3; and Supplements No. 6, 8, 9 for "Brief of Arguments against public ownership."

Additions to the Library's collection of genealogical works were received from the following: Mr. William N. Barrows of New York, Mr. J. W. Hull of New York, Mr. John N. McCue of Crystal City, Mo., Mr. William Nelson of Paterson, N. J., Mrs. Caroline Gaylord Newton of New Haven, Conn., Mr. W. B. O'Connor of Brooklyn, N. Y., Mrs. Henry C. Swords and Miss Grace C. Clarkson of New York, and Miss Florence Whittlesey Thompson of Portland, Maine.

The following authors presented the Library with copies of their works: Mr. John Rutledge Abney of New York, Mr. William Edward Barry of Kennebunk, Maine, Baron de Borchgrave of Brussels, Sr. Coll y Toste of Santurce, Puerto Rico, Mr. Frederick L. Hoffman of Newark, N. J., Mr. Robert C. James of Albany,