THE MOST CURIOUS BOOK IN THE WORLD.
Reading edition
The most singular bibliographic curiosity is that which belonged to the family of the Prince de Ligne, and is now in France. It is entitled Liber Passionis Domini Nostri Jesu Christi, cum Characteribus Nulla Materia Compositis. This book is neither written nor printed! The whole letters of the text are cut out of each folio upon the finest vellum; and, being interleaved with blue paper, it is read as easily as the best print. The labor and patience bestowed in its completion must have been excessive, especially when the precision and minuteness of the letters are considered. The general execution, in every respect, is indeed admirable; and the vellum is of the most delicate and costly kind. Rodolphus II. of Germany offered for it, in 1640, eleven thousand ducats, which was probably equal to sixty thousand at this day. The most remarkable circumstance connected with this literary treasure is, that it bears the royal arms of England, but it cannot be traced to have ever been in that country.
SILVER BOOK.
In the Library of Upsal, in Sweden, there is preserved a translation of the Four Gospels, printed with metal types upon violet-colored vellum. The letters are silver, and hence it has received the name of Codex Argenteus. The initial letters are in gold. It is supposed that the whole was printed in the same manner as bookbinders letter the titles of books on the back. It was a very near approach to the discovery of the art of printing; but it is not known how old it is.
BOOK AMATEURS.
It was the Abbé Rive, librarian to the Duke de la Vallière, who made the following classification:—
A Bibliognoste is one knowing in title-pages and colophons, 723and in editions; when and where printed; the presses whence issued; and all the minutiæ of a book.
A Bibliographe is a describer of books and other literary arrangements.
A Bibliomane is an indiscriminate accumulator, who blunders faster than he buys, cock-brained and purse-heavy.
A Bibliophile, the lover of books, is the only one in the class who appears to read them for his own pleasure.
A Bibliotaphe buries his books, by keeping them under lock, or framing them in glass cases.