Lecture on "The Book Beautiful"

Mr. T. J. Cobden-Sanderson, of the Doves Press, London, delivered the first of his lectures on books last evening. He outlined the preparation of a wellfinished book at the present day, and gave a detailed exhibition of the work of printer, "forwarder," and "finisher." Among other things, the lecturer explained the use of the sewing-frame, the method of covering the quires when bound, and, finally, the process of decoration by means of metallic stamps applied by hand.

Mr. Cobden-Sanderson next traced the changes in the materials out of which books have been made, from the original slabs of baked clay, to the papyrus, parchment, and paper states. Then came an attempt to solve the question of the origin of the alphabet, through the progressive modification of hieroglyphics, passing through the hieratie, Phoenician and Greek symbols, and culminating in the invention of lower-case letters by the monkish scribes of the Middle Ages.

The lecture ended with a series of stereoscopic slides, illustrating the various topics touched upon, with additional views of some of the historic libraries of the world.