| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Enemies of Books by William Blades: old books and neatly mounted on cartridge paper in 3 vol,
half morocco gilt. imp. folio_."
The only collection of title-pages which has afforded me unalloyed pleasure is
a handsome folio, published by the directors of the Plantin Museum, Antwerp,
in 1877, just after the purchase of that wonderful typographical storehouse.
It is called "Titels en Portretten gesneden naar P. P. Rubens voor de
Plantijnsche Drukkerij," and it contains thirty-five grand title pages,
reprinted from the original seventeenth century plates, designed by Rubens
himself between the years 1612 and 1640, for various publications which
issued from the celebrated Plantin Printing Office. In the same Museum
are preserved in Rubens' own handwriting his charge for each design,
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Warlord of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs: to the station of the old miser.
Without the formality of a knock, I burst into the room.
There sat the old man at his table; but as he saw me he
sprang to his feet, drawing his sword.
With scarce more than a glance toward him I leaped for the great switch;
but, quick as I was, that wiry old fellow was there before me.
How he did it I shall never know, nor does it seem credible
that any Martian-born creature could approximate the marvelous
The Warlord of Mars |
The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Reign of King Edward the Third by William Shakespeare: For faults against themselves give evidence;
Lust is fire, and men like lanthornes show
Light lust within them selves, even through them selves.
Away, loose silks of wavering vanity!
Shall the large limit of fair Brittain
By me be overthrown, and shall I not
Master this little mansion of my self?
Give me an Armor of eternal steel!
I go to conquer kings; and shall I not then
Subdue my self? and be my enemy's friend?
It must not be.--Come, boy, forward, advance!
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