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The excerpt represents the core issue or deciding factor on which you must meditate, and is drawn from Enemies of Books by William Blades: A bad example often finds imitators, and every season there crop up
for public sale one or two such collections, formed by bibliomaniacs,
who, although calling themselves bibliophiles, ought really to be ranked
among the worst enemies of books.
The following is copied from a trade catalogue, dated April, 1880, and affords
a fair idea of the extent to which these heartless destroyers will go:--
"MISSAL ILLUMINATIONS.
FIFTY DIFFERENT CAPITAL LETTERS _on_ VELLUM; _all in rich Cold
and Colours. Many_ _3 inches square: the floral decorations
are of great beauty, ranging from the XIIth to XVth century.
Mounted on stout card-board_. IN NICE PRESERVATION, L6 6_s_.
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