Bookbinding

specifically, The History of Bookbinding as a Mirror of Society, which is what I should be reading instead of posting. But I really can't spend all day inside reading... so I'll spend part of it inside posting! Alicia suggested that I go for a walk, which does sound appealing, but I can't quite recconcile myself to it... part of the fun of walks for me is always chatting with someone, but there's no one to chat with as everyone is gone and about... I guess I could have offered to walk to campus with Alicia, as a matter of fact... hmm, that would have been fun. But oh well. I'm actually getting some good stuff done on my writing sample. Much crossing out and rewriting extensively in the margins.

Special Collections is so much fun! Don't know if I have made that sufficiently clear... Spent large quantities of Monday and Tuesday there. Looking at old books. Mmmmm, books. Can't share the complete awesomeness of the experience of holding one with you, but I will share this really cool poem by Ben Jonson (I was definitely looking at the first edition of his Works!). Note the weird spelling. I want to read up on the history of spelling. Aren't I a dork? Yep. But if anyone has suggestions, let me know. I mean, I can also find stuff for myself. But history of the English language is rather a large field to browse in (wow, that's an unintentional working metaphor!), so guidance would be appreciated if availible.

Here's the poem, entitled

“To My Booke-seller.”

“Thou, that mak’ſt gaine thy end, and wiſely well,

Call’ſt a booke good, or bad, as it doth ſell,

Vſe [Use?] mine ſo, too: I giue thee leaue. But craue

For the lucks ſake, it thus much fauour haue.

To lue vpon thy ſtall, till it be ſought;

Not offer’d, as it made ſute to be bought;

Nor haue my title-leafe on poſts, or walls,

Or in cleft-ſticks, aduanced to make calls

For termers, or ſome Clarke-like ſeruing-man

Who ſcarſe can ſpell th’hard names: whoſe knight leſſ can.

If, without theſe vile arts, it will not ſell,

Send it to Bucklerſ-bury, there ’twill, well.”

Jonson, Ben. Works. London: William Stansby, 1616. 2 vols. p. 767. Yes, I'm lazy about my citation, but at least I'm citing at all on a blog, and I got the relevant information in there.

The last line was glossed for my by my professor: Buclersbury was a district for grocers and such--they would have used the book for waste-paper.
Hmm, having slight formatting interestingness. Blast you, cut and paste!

Ok; I think that's my cue to sign off. And go back to Mirjam M. Foot. Author of bookbinding book.

that almost rhymed