Chapter VIII: Part 8

_Juste rem para._ Prepare the thing justly. APTHORP.

_Justice, Truth._ STONE.

_Labor omnia vincit._ Labor conquers all things. LONGBOTTOM.

_Labor to rest._ KEMPE.

_Labore._ By labor. YOUNG.

_L’amour et l’amitié._ Love and friendship. OLIVER.

_Law and Right._ ALLEN.

_Lectorem delectando partique monendo._ To please the reader and
partly to admonish. COX.

_Lege et intellige._ By law and reason. SIMPSON.

_Lege et ratione._ By law and reason. CROOKSHANK.

_Legibus vivo._ I live by the law. LISLE.

_Lex libertas salusque gentis._ Law, liberty and the safety of the
race. GEORGETOWN COLLEGE.

_Libertas._ Liberty. PRIDE.

_Libertas et natale solum._ Liberty and my native soil. SITGREAVES.

_Libertas et patria mea._ Liberty and my country. GILES.
UNIDENTIFIED PLATE.

_Libertatem, amicitiam retenebis et fidem._ You will keep liberty,
friendship and good faith. ADAMS.

_Literatura mentem excandit._ Literature brightens the mind. WELCH.

_Live to truth._ MASTERTON.

_Loyal au mort._ Loyal to death. BELCHER. KING.

_Loyal jusqu’à la Mort._ Loyal even unto death. BELCHER.

_Loyez ferme._ Be steadfast. CLARKE.

_Luceo non uro._ I shine but do not burn. MCKENZIE.

_Lucidior in tenebris._ The brighter in darkness. INGLIS.

_L’un pour l’autre._ For each other. SAMUELS.

_Magnanimus esto._ Be great-souled. INGRAHAM.

_Malo mori quam foedari._ I would rather die than be disgraced.
BETTS. MURRAY.

_Manet amicitia florebit que semper._ Friendship endures and is in
perpetual bloom. FRANCIS. PIERPONT.

_Maximae divitiae sunt prae doctrina et scientia contemnendae: sed
virtus omnibus praestat._ The greatest riches are to be despised
compared with learning and wisdom: but virtue excels all. VINTON.

_May concord prevail and the undertaking prosper._ ALBANY SOCIETY
LIBRARY.

_Mediocria firma._ The middle course is safe. LARDNER.

_Meliora non opto._ I desire no better things. JACKSON.

_Meliora spero._ I hope for better things. PANTON.

_Mens sibi conscia recti._ A mind conscious of its rectitude.
MURRAY.

_Mens in arduis aequa._ A mind calm in the midst of difficulties.
ABERCROMBIE.

_Mille malis salutis habeo, species mille._ In a thousand evils I
have a thousand chances of safety. FOSTER.

_Miseris succerrere disco._ I learn to succor the unfortunate.
LIVERMORE. RUSH.

_Modestia victorex._ Modesty supreme. SULLIVAN.

_Moveo et proficio._ I advance and progress. KNOX.

_Multum legendum._ Much to be read. WHITE.

_My hope on high._ BEDLOW.

_My might makes right._ MACKEY.

_Natura duces._ Nature shall lead. MASS. MEDICAL SOCIETY LIBRARY.

_Naturae convenienter vivere._ To live conformably to Nature.
LUDLOW.

_Ne cede malis._ Yield not to misfortune. CHASE.

_Ne crede colori._ Trust not to color. SMITH.

_Ne oublie._ Do not forget. GRAHAM.

_Ne parcas nec spernas._ Neither spare nor scorn. YATES.

_Ne quid nimis._ Not too much of anything. TAZEWELL.

_Nec aspera terrent._ Difficulties do not daunt. SMITH.

_Nec degener._ I do not degenerate. SILVESTER.

_Nec elatus nec dejectus._ Neither overjoyed nor overworried.
THOMAS.

_Nec gladio nec arcu._ Not by sword or bow. DUDLEY.

_Nec quaerere honorem nec sperne._ Neither to seek nor to despise
honor. SARGENT.

_Nec sorte nec fato._ Neither by chance nor fate. RUTHERORD.

_Nec spe nec metu._ Neither by hope or dread. READ.

_Nec te quaesiveris extra._ Seek not beyond yourself. HARISON.

_Nec timeo nec sperno._ I neither fear nor despise. GREENE.

_Nemo nisi Christus._ Nothing unless Christ. APTHORP.

_Never check._ HAWKS.

_Never despair._ PINTARD.

_Nihil me tangere._ Nothing smirches me. STEARNS.

_Nil conscire sibi._ To have a conscience free from guilt.
PRESCOTT.

_Nil desperandum._ Never despair. SHEPHEARD. SHEPPARD. STEWART.

_Nil facimus non sponte Dei._ We do nothing but by the will of God.
ATKINSON.

_Nil sine Deo._ Nothing without God. WALDO.

_Nil sine magno vita labore dedit mortalibus._ Life gives nothing
to mortals without great labor. EVARTS.

_Nil utile quod non honestum._ Nothing useful that is not honest.
SMITH.

_Nobilis ira._ Noble in anger. STEWART.

_Nocturna versate manu, versate diurna._ (Hor.) Ponder night and
day. ROBBINS.

_Non est vivere sed valere vita._ Not living, but health, is life.
MOORE.

_Non flectere a vero._ Not to be moved from the truth. LIVIUS.

_Non incautus futuri._ Not heedless of the future. LEE.

_Non nobis solum._ Not for ourselves alone. DRAYTON. ELIOT.

_Non oblitus._ Not forgotten. MCTAVISH.

_Non reverter invitus._ Reluctantly I do not return. JENKINS.

_Non sibi sed aliis._ Not for himself, but for others. OLMSTED.

_Non sibi sed patriae._ Not for himself, but for his country. HILL.

_Non vi sed voluntate._ Not by force, but good will. BOUCHER.

_Nosce te ipsum._ Know thyself. EDWARDS. NEW YORK SOCIETY LIBRARY.

_Not always so._ BARRELL.

_Nulla pallescere culpa._ To turn pale from no crime. BYRD.

_Nulli praeda._ A prey to no one. DEANE.

_Nullus in verba._ (Hor. _Ep._ Lib. I. i. 14.) At the dictation of
no man. MAXEY.

_Nunc mihi nunc alii._ Now for myself, now for another. WORMELEY.

_Nunquam non paratus._ Never unprepared. JOHNSTON.

_Occasionem cognoscere._ To perceive the opportunity. LOWELL.

_Omnes fremant licet dicam quod sentio._ Though all rage, I shall
say what I think. SMITH.

_Omni fortunae paratus._ Ready for any fortune. FORBES.

_Omnia Deo pendent._ All things depend on God. STOCKTON.

_Omnia relinquit servare rempublicam._ He leaves all to serve the
state. TUBERVILLE.

_Par espérance et activité nous surmontons._ By hope and work we
overcome. GORHAM.

_Par pari._ Equal to my equal. WALL.

_Patior ut potior._ I endure as I can. SPOTSWOOD.

_Patria cara carior libertas._ Dear is country, dearer is liberty.
BROWN. CLINTON. MARCHANT.

_Patria veritas fides._ Country, truth, faith. EVERETT.

_Pauper non in spe._ Not poor in hope. POOR.

_Pax et amor._ Peace and love. BACKHOUSE.

_Pax et copia._ Peace and plenty. JONES.

_Pax hospitia ruris._ Grateful peace of the country. JONES.

_Pax in bello._ Peace in war. PRIOLEAU.

_Pax quaeritur bello._ Peace is secured by war. OLIVER.

_Pectore puro._ With a pure heart. ROYALL.

_Pelle timorem._ Drive off fear. WHATLEY.

_Peperi._ I have brought forth. PEPPERRELL.

_Per aspera ad astra._ Through trials to glory. JOHNSON.

_Per varios casus._ By various fortunes. MERCER.

_Perge coepisti._ Go on as you have begun. TEN BROECK.

_Perit ut vivat._ He dies that he may live. FENWICK. MAGILL.

_Persevere._ GALLATIN.

_Pia mente studeatur._ Study with reverent mind. PHILLIPS ACADEMY.

_Piety is peace._ HOPKINS.

_Post tenebras speramus lumen de lumine._ After the darkness we
hope for the light of the day. COFFIN.

_Postero ne credo._ Trust not the future. CUTTING.

_Praestat opes sapientia._ Wisdom excels wealth. LIVINGSTON.

_Pro aris et focis._ For our altars and our firesides. BLOOMFIELD.

_Pro Deo et nobilissima patria Batavorum._ For God and my most
noble country, Batavia. VAN NESS.

_Pro lege et rege._ For the law and the king. CHILD. HICKS.
WHITEBREAD.

_Pro libertate._ For liberty. PROVOOST.

_Pro patria._ For my country. WALLACE.

_Pro patria mori._ For country, die. GARDINER.

_Pro patria semper._ Always for my country. FITZHUGH.

_Pro rege et patria._ For the king and fatherland. CHAMPION.

_Probitas laudatur et laget._ Honesty is praised and is left to
starve. ANTILL.

_Probitate et industria._ By honesty and industry. BRIDGEN.

_Procurator industria._ Industry the chief. FRAUNCES.

_Progredi non regredi._ To advance, not to recede. RUTLEDGE.

_Propere et provide._ Quickly and carefully. ROBINSON.

_Proprium decus et petrum._ POWEL.

_Prospicere quam ulcisci._ Overlook rather than avenge. MAINGAULT.

_Providentia sumus._ We are providence. BLATCHFORD.

_Prudenter et simpliciter._ Discreetly and simply. VAUGHAN.

_Pugna pro patria libertas._ I fight for the liberty of my country.
MARTIN.

_Qui contentus felix._ Happy he who is content. SMITH.

_Quicscit in perfecto._ He rests in labor completed. LINONIAN
SOCIETY LIBRARY.

_Quo cunque ferar._ Whithersoever I may be carried. ST. CLAIR.

_Quo fata vocant._ Where the fates call. BAY. ERVING. VOSE.

_Quo vocat virtus._ Where virtue calls. JAUNCEY.

_Quod fieri non vis alteri ne fueris._ Do not that which you would
not wish another to do. COCK.

_Recte et suaviter._ Justly and mildly. KING.

_Recte faciendo securus._ Safe in acting justly. INGLIS.

_Refero._ I bring back. WALL.

_Respice finum._ Regard the end. MCMURTRIE.

_Reviresco._ I become young again. MAXWELL.

_Robori prudentia praestat._ Discretion is more than strength.
YOUNG.

_Rosae inter spinas nascunter._ Roses are found among the thorns.
THORNDIKE.

_Sacra quercus._ Holy oak. HOLYOKE.

_Saepe pro rege, semper pro republica._ Often for the king, always
for the commonwealth. VASSALL.

_Sans changer._ Without changing. MUSGRAVE.

_Sans Dieu je ne puis._ Without God I cannot do it. SKIPWITH.

_Sapienter si sincere._ Wisely if sincerely. DAVIDSON.

_Secundis dubiisque rectus._ Upright both in prosperity and perils.
WYTHE.

_Seges votis respondet._ The crop responds to the prayers. HASTY
PUDDING CLUB LIBRARY.

_Semper caveto._ Be always on guard. BALL.

_Semper fidelis._ Always faithful. SCHUYLER.

_Semper idem._ Always the same. CLARK.

_Semper paratus._ Always prepared. DUNNING. EVERDELL. MCCOUN.
HOPKINSON.

_Serva jugum._ Keep the yoke. HAY.

_Simplius sicut columbae._ More harmless than a dove. THE BISHOP OF
JAMAICA.

_Sine Deo careo._ Without God I want. CARY.

_Sine virtute vani sunt honores._ Without virtue, honors are vain.
BOZMAN.

_Sol sapientiae nunquam occidet._ The sun of wisdom never shall
set. SOCIAL FRIENDS’ LIBRARY.

_Sola bona quae honesta._ Those things only are good which are
honest. HUNTER.

_Sola salus servire Deo._ The only safe course is to serve God.
BURKE. JARVIS. MORONG.

_Soli Deo gloria et honor._ Glory and honor be to God alone.
BOUDINOT.

_Solus minus solus._ Alone yet not alone. MUHLENBERG.

_Sperne successus alit._ Success nourishes, but to scorn. GURNEY.

_Spero meliora._ I hope for better things. LIVINGSTON. LUDLOW.
PANTON.

_Spes mea in Deo._ My trust is in God. CABELL.

_Spes meliora._ The hope of better things. PANTON.

_Spes vincit terrorem._ Hope conquers all fears. WINTHROP.

_Stand sure._ GRANT.

_Strive for glory._ VAVASOUR.

_Study to know thyself._ GREENE.

_Stultum est in foro sigtare._ It is foolish to shoot arrows in the
forum. UNIDENTIFIED PLATE.

_Sublimiora petamus._ Let us seek loftier things. BANCKER.

_Sublimis per ardua tendo._ To the heights through hardships I
tend. CHAUNCEY.

_Sursum corda._ Hearts upward. BANCROFT.

_Sustinere._ Bear. BROOKS.

_Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go, for she is thy
life._ (Prov. iv. 13.) PHILADELPHIA APPRENTICES’ LIBRARY.

_Tandem vincitur._ At length he is conquered. MORRIS.

_Tantes da dir._ RUTGERS.

_Tentanda via est._ The way must be tried. WETMORE.

_Terra aut mari._ By land or sea. PARKE.

_The North against the World._ EDWARDS.

_This I’ll defend._ MCFARLAN.

_Toujours le même._ Always the same. GILES.

_Toujours fidèle._ Always faithful. HORRY.

_Toujours prest._ Always ready. CARMICHAEL.

_Tout en bonne heure._ All in good time. HICKS.

_To Virtue & Science attend,_
_And Truth & Justice defend._ NEWBERRY.

_Transiens adjuvanos._ Crossing the sea to help. SOCIETY FOR
PROPAGATING THE GOSPEL IN FOREIGN PARTS.

_Trust in God._ JONES.

_Try._ BRAZER.

_Tutus si fortis._ Safe if brave. SMITH.

_Ubi libertas ibi patria._ Where liberty prevails there is my
country. DINWIDDIE. WEIBERG.

_Ubi plura nitent paucis non offendar maculis._ Where the most is
bright, let me not be offended by a few spots. WALKER.

_Ubi plura offendar maculis nitent non ego paucis._ Where the most
is bright, I shall not be offended by a few spots. DANFORTH.

_Un loy, un roy, un foy._ One law, one king, one faith. HERBERT.

_Ut aquila versus coelum._ Like the eagle to heaven. BOWDOIN.

_Ut quiescas labora._ Labor that you may rest. GALLAUDET.

_Utere mundo._ Use the world. BLACKLEY.

_Utraque unum._ With either one. GEORGETOWN COLLEGE.

_Vera pro gratis._ True rather than pleasing. WEBSTER.

_Veritas._ Truth. HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY.

_Veritas vincit omnia._ Truth conquers all things. WATERHOUSE.

_Vérité sans peur._ Truth without fear. PETIGRU.

_Verum atque decens._ The truth and rectitude. WELD.

_Verum dicet._ He speaks the truth. STANFORD.

_Verus in actione consistit._ Truth consists in action. CRAVEN.

_Vestigia nulla retrorsum._ (Hor. _Ep._ i. I. 73.) No steps
backward. KIP.

_Vestra cura alitur._ Nourished by our care. SOCIAL LAW LIBRARY.

_Vi et virtute._ By strength and courage. SPAIGHT.

_Via ad cordem._ The way to the heart. WISNER.

_Victoria aut mors._ Victory or death. KIP.

_Videte et cavete ab avaritia._ Recognize and beware of avarice.
POWNALL.

_Vigila._ Watch. ANDERSON.

_Vigilemus ut vigilantis._ Let us watch as those who are vigilant.
U. S. NAVY.

_Vincit amor patriae._ The love of country surpasses all things.
PENNINGTON.

“Vincet amor patriae laudumque immensa cupido.”--Virg. _Æn._ vi.
823.

_Vincit omnia veritas._ Truth conquers all things. HYSLOP.

_Vincit veritas._ Truth conquers. CHAMBERS.

_Virescit vulnere virtus._ Her virtue flourishes by her wound.
BURNET.

This is also the motto of the family of Galloway, whose crest is a
pelican in her piety.

_Virtue, Liberty, and Independence._ PENNSYLVANIA HISTORICAL
SOCIETY.

_Virtus basis vitae._ Virtue is the foundation of life. BULL.

_Virtus durissima terit._ Virtue bears the greatest hardships.
MCLEAN.

_Virtus est natale meum._ Virtue is my birthright. TILLOTSON.

_Virtus est vera vetustas._ Virtue is true old age. VAN RENSSELAER.

_Virtus et scientia ad utilitatem dirigunt._ Virtue and knowledge
direct to usefulness. MORAL LIBRARY.

_Virtus interrita pergit._ Virtue fearlessly advances. MOORE.

_Virtus, libertas et patria._ Virtue, liberty, and country.
WETMORE.

_Virtus sibi munus._ Virtue its own reward. VAN CORTLANDT.

_Virtus sola nobilitate._ Virtue by nobility only. MAYO.

_Virtute et fide._ By valor and faith. ROOME.

_Virtute fideque._ By valor and faith. MURRAY.

_Virtute invidiam vincas._ Conquer envy by virtue. CLEBORNE.

_Virtute patria tuemini._ By virtue you guard your country.
PEPPERELL.

_Virtutem hilaritate colere._ Cultivate virtue by mirth. WYNKOOP.

_Virtutis gloria merces._ Glory is the reward of valor. ROBERTSON.

_Vitanda est improba Siren defidia._ The impious Siren,
faithlessness, must be shunned. WALKER.

_Vive ut vivas._ Live that you may live. ABERCROMBIE.

_Waste not a moment._ WETHERSFIELD LIBRARY.

_What is, is best._ LAURENS.

_Wisely for pleasure and for profit read: thus hold high converse
with the mighty dead._ WOODBRIDGE.

_Y cadam ae cypwyn._ The mighty and cunning. WILLIAMS.

_Zyt bestindig._ Be constant. DYCKMAN.

A FEW RECENT EXAMPLES.

ll book-plates which do not have the flavor of age about them, and which were made quite within the memory of the collector, are classed as recent plates. This is a term of doubtful application; but in a general way it has come to mean all plates made since about 1830. Their number is legion, of course, and no attempt is here made to enumerate them, or even a small part of them, but only to note briefly those of the more recent additions which are especially noteworthy. And now we part with the old styles of plates. The early armorial, with the profuse denticulated mantling, is never used, the pure Jacobean is not seen, the graceful Chippendale has been discarded, and the Ribbon and Wreath, with its fanciful festoons and garlands of roses, is also a thing of the past.

This is of course natural, as the armorial plates, which are the only ones demanding any of these styles of decoration, are very little used now. But we have still the Library Interior, the Literary, the Pictorial, and the Allegorical; but these have changed their appearance so much

as to be hardly recognizable as the lineal descendants of those of the same type which went before. Indeed, the recent plates have little in common with the old,--new motives, new designs, new methods, and new conceptions of what a book-plate can be have come in, and the change produced is very marked.

Heraldic plates are still in use, and still being made, but the number of plain armorials is quite small. Usually, now, those who wish to show the family arms on the book-plate do not display it all by itself, but accompanied by literary accessories, or pictorial, or with decorative features to relieve what would to-day appear a bare and unfinished plate, but which in the older days would have been the pink of perfection.

Among the plain armorial plates of recent days may be mentioned that of _Henry B. Anthony_, the late senator from Rhode Island, which, without even a motto, presents the arms of the family, with the crest, and the name. Another plain armorial plate is that of _John H. Buck_, of the Gorham Manufacturing Company, and the author of “Old Plate.” This, too, is perfectly plain, with no motto. _Frank House Baer_ and _Charles W. Burrows_, of Cleveland, both use the plain armorial style, relieved by slight mantling or scroll work, and with the mottoes on ribbons beneath the shield. _Mr. Appleton Morgan_ has a plain armorial plate, quartering the Morgan and Appleton arms. _Mr. Daniel Ravenel_, of Charleston, also uses a plain armorial shield, relieved with sprays of marigold (the Huguenot emblem) and of wall-flower (the French name for which is _Ravenelle_). A plain armorial plate, in colors, is used by the compiler of “America Heraldica.” An imposing helmet with blue mantling surmounts the shield, and the motto, _Moins faire mieux faire_, is given on a ribbon which encloses the whole design. _Harry Allen Castle_, of Hartford, uses a design borrowed from the plate of Mr. Thomas Bailey Aldrich. The castle on its wreath is enclosed by a square frame in which the name appears, with the words _His Mark_. In the corners of this frame are the letters _I.H.S.V._, standing for the motto, _In hoc signo vinces_. A punning friend, upon seeing this plate, remarked to Mr. Castle, that the letters would seem to mean, “I have some volumes.” _Dr. J. S. H. Fogg_, the late well-known collector of, and authority on, autographs, used a plain armorial plate, with the motto, _Aut pax aut bellum._ _Prof. J. Max Hark_, of the Moravian Seminary at Bethlehem, Pa., has a plain heraldic plate, with thin mantling about the shield. The motto occupies two lines above and below the shield, and is in imitation of the ancient manner. _What mon a^{n} Honest^{e} Name^{n} doth ow^{en}, To^{o} hy^{m} ry^{cht} gla^{ed}^{lie} my^{n} Bo^{ok}^{es} i lo^{an}. But so to^{o} long^{en} y^{e} Bo^{ok}^{es} be kep^{it}, He shal forso^{oth} be a Knav^{e} yclep^{it}._ This is printed with red capitals, on very fine parchment paper with rough edges, and is a very pretty plate. _Dr. Joseph Henry Dubbs_, professor in Franklin and Marshall College, uses a plate which exhibits the arms on a shield which is fastened to a spreading oak-tree.

His Mark]

HARTFORD, CONN., U.S.A.]

At either side, scrolls are drawn, which bear the motto, _Ex recto decus_, and the following dates, which refer to the migrations of the doctor’s ancestors: _Styria, 1446_; _Helvetia, 1531_; _America, 1732_. A plate of unique history is that of _The Rawle Law Offices, Established A.D. 1783, Philadelphia_. This inscription is given on a circular band which encloses the shield of arms, and the motto, _Morte, Virtute_. Below this, the name of the successive proprietors of the law-offices are given, as follows: _William Rawle, 1783-1836_, _William Rawle, 1810-1858_, _William Henry Rawle, 1844-1889_, _William Brooke Rawle, 1867_. _Melvin H. Hapgood_, of Hartford, uses an oblong plate, which exhibits the shield of arms at the left of the name space, and which is surrounded by a fine running vine which bears both fruit and flowers, and among the twistings of which the motto, _Inter folia fructus_, is woven. The implements of the architect, and the secondary motto, _Penna ferro potentior_, are also cleverly worked into the decorative frame. _Monsignor Seton, D.D._, of Jersey City Heights, uses a

small heraldic plate, in which the arms are given in colors, and are surmounted by the clerical hat and tassels. A plain armorial plate is used by _John F. Winslow_, a descendant of Governor Winslow, and one to whose means and energy we owe the building of the first “Monitor.” Prof. _Charles Eliot Norton_, of Harvard, uses an heraldic plate, in which the crest only is given. Beneath this, a pile of books is covered by a scroll, which bears upon it the motto, _Amici et amicis_. The _Rev. Morgan Dix_, of Trinity Church, New York City, uses an heraldic plate, in which also the crest only is given. This is surrounded by a circular garter, on which the motto, _Quod dixi factum est_, is printed. This ends our list of plain armorial plates.

Whatever sarcasm and disgust may be stirred up by the assumption of arms by persons not entitled to them, no word can be said against the display of authenticated arms upon the book-plate. Many coats-of-arms run back for several centuries, and an honored ancestry has borne them. A rightful pride in such memorials of past family history induces many who are entitled to them to use their arms thus; and while the plain armorial plate has had its day, and has passed the stage of wide popularity, it is still in use.

Coming, now, to the Library Interior style of book-plates, we mention first the finest example of recent work in this style,--the plate of _Richard C. Lichtenstein_, of Boston. Mr. Lichtenstein is one of the old collectors of plates, a member of the Council of the Ex Libris Society of London, and a recognized authority upon American plates. As we would expect, he has indicated his hobby in all details of his design. The scene is laid in the corner of the owner’s den, in which are well-filled shelves, framed prints, photographs, and the usual accessories. In the immediate foreground, a Cupid is seated at a desk, and in his outstretched hand holds a plate upon the globe which stands at hand, while he reads, from an open book, the description, presumably, of the treasure lately acquired. Two other Cupids are at his back: one bearing the _Journal_ of the _Ex Libris Society_, and the other returning from a successful quest for plates, if we may judge by the packet under his arm. The presence of the globe indicates the cosmopolitan character of the collection the Cupids are examining and adding to. A finely foliated border surrounds the interior picture; and in a space at the right side is a package of mounted plates; and on the left, a tied-up bunch of book-covers, in which Mr. Lichtenstein keeps his plates. The name appears in white letters upon a black scroll at the bottom, and behind it is seen a castle of white stone,--a play on the name of the owner. The plate is dated 1893, and is signed by the engraver, George Moore, and the designer, L. Y. Van Tiffele.

The plate of _James Phinney Baxter_ reveals a most pleasing interior, which is probably from the actual room. A tall clock is flanked by long rows of books, a table and easy-chair are in the

foreground, and _bric-à-brac_ is disposed upon convenient shelving. At the left of the picture, a portrait of the owner is given, with a fac-simile of his autograph. The following motto, _Who learns and learns but does not what he knows, Is one who plows and plows but never sows_, is also given in fac-simile of handwriting.

The plate of _William Vanamee_ shows what is also an actual interior, probably. The stairs enter the room at the left, and the space under them is occupied by books. Pictures adorn the walls, and a cosey bench before the shelves invites the visitor to recline and read. The motto, _Carpe diem_, is given above the picture, and the name below, both in fac-simile of handwriting.

Actual comfort and enjoyment are expressed in the plate of _Louis J. Haber_, of New York City. In this interior, a fire is blazing on the andirons; the drowsy dog lies asleep before it; the hanging lamp sheds a brilliant light over the room, and furnishes the means of reading which the owner is enjoying, as he sits in an easy chair, in lounging-coat and slippers. The rows of books at the far end of the room add to the effect of comfort, and the motto which envelopes the whole design--_My silent but faithful friends are they_--discloses the attitude of the owner towards his volumes.

The plate of _Albert C. Bates_, of the Connecticut Historical Society, at Hartford, is a reproduction of an early woodcut which represents the interior of an old library (University of Leyden, 1614), with long rows of books chained to their desks. Globes are protected by brass covers, the patrons salute each other in apparent silence, and over all there is an air of repression and elevated learning. No seats are provided, and light is admitted through long windows filled with small lozenge-shaped panes of glass.

The beautiful colored plate of _Gerald E. Hart_, of Montreal, represents the interior of a cell in some mediæval monastery; for the tonsured monk is sitting upon his stone bench, illuminating a large volume. The Gothic window admits light through its highly colored design, and rows of vellum lie beside the desk of the old monk.

The plate of _W. E. Baillie_, of Bridgeport, Conn., represents a corner of a modern library, furnished in the Louis XV. style, having some half-dozen frolicsome Cupids, rolling on the rugs, peeking out of the window, reading in arm-chairs, or discussing the volumes taken from the elaborately carved case. This plate is the second one to make use of the half-tone process direct from the pencil sketch.

Continuing with the plates which come properly under the classification “Literary,” we find them to be very numerous, very various in design, and very unlike in shape and treatment. A plate which represents the past is used by _Henry M. Brooks_, of Salem, Mass. In this the old ink-pot and quill, the box of wafers, the wax and seal, and the sand for blotting are disposed about the letter, which, being used before the days of postage stamps and envelopes, bears the amount due and the address upon the back of the sheet. The address seen is that of the owner.

George Wharton Edwards ]

Going still further back in history _E. Irenæus Stevenson_ has brought the very serpent of the Garden of Eden, with the fatal apple of Knowledge in his fangs, into his book-plate. Slipping down between the open pages of a large book, we see this form of his Satanic Majesty, and read upon the apple which he offers _Eritis sicut Deus_, _Ye shall be as gods_. This, from the Vulgate, is in Latin. Upon the open page we read in Greek, _Be ye wise as serpents_. The Shekinah blazes out all about the book. A very interesting and striking plate.

A very simple but effective reminder of the approach of old age is found in the plate of _George Alexander Macbeth_, of Pittsburgh, Pa. In this, an open book of coarse print lies upon the table, accompanied by a large pair of spectacles. The motto appears in the upper left corner,--_Give me your favor: my dull brain was wrought with things forgotten_.

Very many plates have a shelf of books, or a pile of them, accompanied with a favorite quotation, a bust of some author, the arms of the owner, or possibly his portrait. In the plate of _Clifford Julius King_, we see the row of books, the smoke from the waning cigar, as it rises across the open pages of a book, and the bust of Thackeray, while the motto, _A jollie goode booke, whereon to looke, is better to me than golde_, is suggestive of long evenings by the fireside, with choice editions to read and fondle.

The shelf of books in the plate of _Nathaniel Paine_, of Worcester, Mass., is enclosed within a frame which has suggestions of the heraldic shield. Behind it the palm branches are placed,

and the motto is below, on a ribbon,--_Duce natura sequor_. The crest is found in its place above.

“Wrenwood” is the name of the home of _George E. Leighton_, if we may judge by the name which appears on the top of the shield, which rests against his books just inside the library window. The window is open, flowers peek around the mullions, and a wren has hopped upon the sill to examine the surroundings which have borrowed his name for their own.

A pile of three books, labelled _Bacon_, _Lamb_, and “_Punch_,” is shown in the plate of _David Murray_. The legend, _Some books are to be tasted, some to be swallowed, and some to be chewed and digested_, is given on the back of the books. Above the volumes, the scales carrying the heavy pen on one side, and the lighter sword on the other, is surmounted by a liberty-cap, behind which, in a blaze of glory, appears the motto, _The pen mightier than the sword_.

In the plate of _George Imbrie Sill_, three shelves of books are enclosed within a frame of scrolls which bear the name. A shield is placed across one end of the case, with the arms and crest upon it.

Now we come to a plate which takes us below the surface. A wondrous mermaid, at the very depths, flanked by huge dolphins, is receiving a perfect shower of books, which come tumbling down through the water. This is the plate of _H. W. Bryant_, of Portland, Me.

_Marshall C. Lefferts_, of New York City, uses small leather labels on which an open book bearing his monogram is stamped in gold. Different colors of leather are provided for different volumes. This is the only instance of the use of leather for a book-plate in this country, if I mistake not: a very handsome material, too, for the purpose, and meriting wider use.

In the plate of _John Herbert Corning_, of Washington, Atlas, with strained muscles, supports the world of letters. _Litterae_ is inscribed upon the immense globe which rests upon his shoulders.

Two children of the forest, a boy and a girl, with flowing hair and meagre garments, come towards us in the plate of _A. L. Hollingsworth_, of Boston, bearing between them a panel on which is carved the motto _Un bon livre est un bon ami_. The dense forest is close behind them, and were it not for the reader, one feels as if no person would pass their way to see their lofty sentiment. So thick, indeed, is the tangle of brush, that the loss of their clothes must be laid to their passage through it.

In the plate of _Dr. George L. Parmelee_, of Hartford, a herald in court costume is proclaiming, through his long trumpet, the loss of a book. The banner hanging from the horn shows the words he uses: _Verloren! Verloren! ein Buch_.

We are again taken far down below the waves, in the plate of _William Ashmead Courtenay_, of Charleston, S.C. Down indeed, to the very bottom of the ocean, where the weeds grow, and the dolphin feeds. Above, the waves are rolling, and a far stretch of water is seen. The view is enclosed within a square frame which bears the name.

The _Rev. Wm. R. Huntington_, rector of Grace Church, New York City, uses a design which is adapted from a frontispiece by Walter Crane for the “Fairy Tales” of the Brothers Grimm, and which represents a youth, with long curls falling from under his cap, opening the door of a house, with a huge key. Upon the roof, two cupids, in imminent danger of sliding off, are making music with lyre and voice. A few stars shine against the night, and the light of the moon falls across the face of the structure, revealing the huge orange-trees in fruit, which flank the doorway. The motto, _In veritate victoria_, is carved upon the steps, and the name _Huntington_ is given at the very top of the design.

Other plates whose principal features are “bookish” are those of _Henry A. Morgan_, which has simply a large book, open, with blank leaves: on one is inscribed _The page in waiting_; of _Edward Denham_, which has an owl perched upon an open volume, upon whose pages are the following names, _Bede_, _Camden_, _Bradford_, _Chaucer_, _Shakspere_, _Sandys_, with the torch of knowledge and the wreath of victory behind it: the wreath is tied with a ribbon which bears the

motto--_Nulla dies sine linea:_ of _Charles F. Jilson_, Chicago, on whose plate simply a closed book is seen, with a palette resting upon it; the brush and the drawing tools reveal the art of the owner, while the half-covered lyre upon the book-cover may be an indication of his hobby;--of _Alfred Trumble_, of New York City, who displays a table whereon the bust of Minerva, the student-lamp, the scroll, ink-stand and quill, and the books jostle each other in delightful literary confusion;--of the _Hon. John E. Russell_, of Boston, who shows the owl of Minerva seated upon the books of the scholar: the globe, materials for writing, and the lamp of knowledge are disposed about, and the whole is encircled by an oval wreath of holly.

The plate of _Thomas J. McKee_, of New York City, represents a volume of Shakespeare’s Works, open to the title-page, which is occupied principally by a portrait of the famous author playwright. The arms and name appear upon the fly-leaf of the book, other books are at hand, and the following lines are given at the foot:--

_Tu mihi currarum requies, tu nocte rel atra_
_Lumen, et in solis tu mihi turba locis._

The plate of _Paul Lemperly_, of Cleveland, designed by Garrett, shows the open book, with the serpent circled about it. The stars shine beyond, and the design is enclosed within a rectangular border of holly leaves.

Another class of plates which claim attention to-day is that which is representative of either the hobby or the vocation of the owner. For special collections, for certain kinds of books, plates are designed which express the particular line of reading, or of collecting, which they are to ornament. This style of plate is coming more and more into use, and earnest pleas have been put forth for its wide adoption; notably, one by _Henri Pene Du Bois_, in the “Book Lovers’ Almanac,” for 1894. In his worthy article on the “Art of the Book-plate,” this writer argues forcibly for the expression of a genuine idea in the book-plate. Not mere coats-of-arms, crests, pictorial designs or devices and ornaments which look pretty, seem to him suitable for use as book-plates, but an emphatic representation of an idea, a worthy idea, clad in suitable form. He argues for special plates for special collections, for a specific plate for a specific line of books; not an ornamental label simply, to be placed in each book in one’s library, but a different plate, with a reason for its existence, in each different department. Very few, if any, in this country, carry the idea so far; but many plates are now in use which convey at once an idea of the pursuit of the owner, whether it be in literature, art, science, or professional life. The plate of _George Edward Sears_, with its grinning skull, is perhaps at first glance unpleasant in its effect, but when one comes to unravel the plain meaning of the symbolism, the shudder dies away, and we are prepared to regard the plate as one of the very highest types, and most successful in its way. Mr. Sears has gathered a large collection of books relating to the “Dance of Death,” and finding in

a 1754 edition of Matthew Merian’s work, this plate which seemed no part of the series but an impromptu addition, he adopted it for his book-plate. Mr. W. J. Linton engraved the block, reducing considerably from the original. This plate is used only in the books relating to the topic it suggests. In this plate the skull is placed upon an open book, between a lighted candle and a few flowers in a vase. A wreath encircles the smooth pate, and an hour-glass rests upon it, with the hovering wings of Time, and the scales, just above. The lower half of the plate has a very dark background, while the upper is filled with light.

_Henry Blackwell_, of New York City, uses a plate in his collection of Welshiana which was designed for the purpose. In this plate we see the sturdy oak raised in the centre of the scene. Upon the right side, the bearded Druid is lopping off the branches of the mistletoe, which seem to be growing with the oak. Opposite to him, the early Briton with his harp makes wild music. A circular medallion upon the tree represents the peak of Snowden, the highest mountain in Wales, and the motto, _Cared doeth yr encilion_, is given upon the frame. This plate, like that of Mr. Sears, was suggested by an illustration in an old book. A second plate is used for the literature upon the famous voyage of Madoc to our shores in A.D. 1170. In this plate we see the old-fashioned, high-sided ship, with its bellying sails, plunging through the rolling waves, as it passes out to sea with the hardy adventurer and his crew.

As examples of plates representative of the hobby of their owners, we have the following: _Dean Sage_; an angling plate, very simple in design and very fine in execution, with a large trout, and the rod and the landing net crossed behind it: an enthusiastic fisherman, and the author of a sumptuous volume on salmon-fishing in some of the Canadian rivers, Mr. Sage uses this plate only in the books of his library which relate to the gentle pursuit favored of Walton;--_Howland_; An angling plate of very handsome design: the shield of arms is surrounded with the implements of the fisherman, with evidences of his success and with the weeds which grow by the water side: the motto _Piscator non solum piscator_ floats on a ribbon above;--_Lucius Poole_; the masks of Comedy and of Tragedy are brought together in this plate, as indicative of the books collected by Mr. Poole;--_Arthur Robinson Stone_: a folio volume of music is open to the Largo of the second part of the “Messiah,” by Handel, and is copied from the original score preserved in the British Museum:--in the plate of _Martin Hayden_ two Cupids bear a shield on which the name is given: each little Cupid also manages to hold a mask: the motto, _Upward, Onward_.

_Fred C. Schlaick_: in this we see the uppermost part of a column and its Corinthian capital. A little Cupid flies away from the finished piece of work, carrying the veil which had concealed it from view. This design hardly needs the word _Architect_, which is added just after the name, to express the profession of the owner.

_Edward Stratton Holloway_: in this design, the owl is perched upon a limb, with the palette, brushes, sketch-book, and pencils of the illustrator within his clutch.

A most happy plate is that of _Mr. Richard Hoe Lawrence_, which is designed for use only in the library housed at his country seat, “Oscaleta Lodge,” and which is mainly botanical. In this plate the partridge-vine, _Mitchella repens_, is shown in its proper colors, and is surrounded by a double border of red lines, within which the motto, from

ARCHITECT]

Rabelais, _Fay ce que vouldras_, is given in yellow. The plate was designed by Miss Mary S. Lawrence.

For a Philatelical library, the plate of _Mr. John K. Tiffany_ is exceedingly appropriate, the design being enlarged from the old and rare St. Louis Postmaster’s stamp of 1845. The book-plate was cut on wood by the same man who designed the original stamp. It is an exact fac-simile of the old stamp, giving the two bears holding between them the circular frame which encloses the arms.

A very good example of the Allegorical book-plate is that of _George H. Ellwanger_, of Rochester. This is designed to illustrate the LXX sonnet of the Amoretti, of Spenser. With all the charming freshness of the early vernal season about her, we see Spring, in graceful drapery, carrying buds and blossoms in her hands, and crowned with a wreath of flowers, approaching us. The garlands, the numerous birds, the new leaves upon the trees, and the sense of warmth in the scene, clearly depict the meaning of the artist.

Turning, now, to the pictorial plates, we find their number rather small. Decorative features, bits of landscape and of interiors are found in many plates; but these little ornamentations do not constitute a real pictorial plate. One of the finest examples is the plate of _E. G. Asay_, of Chicago. In this we find ourselves intruding upon the councils of the Muses; for we see Art seated upon a throne, with the palette and brushes idle in her lap, while about her, in graceful manner, recline History, Music, and Literature. The lyre of Music is quiet, as, with her hand affectionately placed upon the shoulder of History, she listens to the reading of the just-inscribed record. Art likewise gives interested attention to the recital; and Literature, with her book closed, leans upon the convenient globe, and listens.

CHAUNCEY LAWRENCE WILLIAMS ]

Wholly different is the plate of _Allen Wallace_. In this, one of the Naiadæ reclines upon the

over-turned urn, from which the never-ceasing flow of water falls over the rock, and slips away in a widening stream. With one hand she caresses the limpid flow, as it emerges from the urn. At either side, below her, two dolphins discharge quantities of water from their mouths into an immense shell which receives the stream from the urn as well. Tall sheaves of wheat rise above them, and directly behind the head of the Naiad is the motto, _Nil clarius aquis_.

_Mr. H. E. Deats_, of Flemington, N.J., has a most beautiful specimen of steel engraving which he uses in his numismatic library. In this, we see a female figure clad in classic costume, with a diadem on her brow, sitting on the clouds, and having at her side an oval shield, on which a very important peacock is depicted as using the globe for his perch. On either side, cornucopiæ of fruit and flowers barely hold their quantities of produce. The motto, _Instauratio saeculi felicis_, is placed upon the edge of the shield.

The plate of _Frances Louise_ and _Charles Dexter Allen_ represents a female figure in classic robes seated upon a stone bench at the foot of tall trees. It is twilight, and the glint of the weakening light is seen through the leaves. Books, manuscript, and scrolls are strewn around the solitary figure. The motto, _Sapientiam veram petimus_, is carved along the top of the wall behind. One arm of the figure is thrown across the top of an open book, on which the names of the owners are given. This plate was suppressed at the request of the publishers of a magazine in New York City, as it so closely resembled the design on their cover.

A very effective plate is that of _F. W. Hoyt_, of Albany, N.Y. In this an Ionic column forms the whole design. Very beautifully engraved: the lamp of Knowledge is continually burning, and continually fed on the top of the capital, while the names of the “Immortals” are bound around the shaft on a ribbon,--_Homer_, _Dante_, _Cervantes_, _Shakespeare_, _Shelley_. The name of the owner is carved upon the base.

In the plate of _Samuel Wesley Marvin_, is depicted the sleeping knight, to whom come

F.W. HOYT. ]

Pleasure and Knowledge, each with her offer of satisfaction and reward. The motto, _Courage le diable est mort_, is seen on the broad ribbon which is laid about the picture.

The plate of _Adam Van Allen_, of Albany, is copied from the plate of the brothers Goncourt, and represents the left hand with a pair of dividers held by the third and fourth fingers, while the first and second are placed upon a sheet of paper bearing the initials _V A_.

Several peculiar plates remain to be mentioned, which belong to no style, but are examples of the individual taste of the owners, which is now so marked a feature of book-plate designing. Not, as formerly, are we controlled as to the style which we shall adopt, but each book-lover can, without appearing eccentric, place whatever design he chooses within his book-covers.

The plate of the well-known _litterateur_, _W. Irving Way_, of Chicago, is simply a very small bit of paper with his initials in cipher upon it. The plate of _Fred J. Libbie_, of Boston, one of the largest collectors of plates, is a cryptogrammic arrangement of the letters forming his name.

An old plate of _Richard Hoe Lawrence_ caricatures each of his three names: the first, by the “dickey bird”; the second, by the agricultural implement suggested by the middle name: and the third, by a picture of the emaciated Saint Lawrence frying over a fire of flaming fagots. As he fries, he reads from a book entitled, _Lawrence on Gridiron_.

The plate of _Marcus Benjamin_, of New York City, is a punning plate, and represents the gentleman himself riding his hobby-horse, which is in the form of a big folio. With a long quill for a lance, and wearing a crucible for a hat, he rides his horse, full merrily. The plate of _J. Hiestand Hartman_, of Lancaster, Pa., is very curious. In this, the shield is borne by a skeleton, who stands erect, with the lance resting in the right arm. A banner floats from the lance-head, ribbons rise in profusion on either side, and the grinning sentinel is enclosed in the fluttering ends. _E. A. Hitchcock_, of the United States Army, has a plate of peculiar and hidden meaning. In this, the prominent feature is a huge dragon, winged, scaly, with forked tail and snakelike head. With the end of his tail in his mouth, he forms a frame of oval form, and repulsive kind, for a picture of a little girl, who seems to be sitting upon a honeycomb, and who holds a necklace in her left hand. The motto, _Non nisi Parvulis_, must contain some reference to the event recorded in the book-plate.

The plate of _George Dudley Seymour_ has the unusual feature of a large representation of an old door, with its carved posts, and pediment of high-boy style. In the centre of the design, above this, at the right, a small view is given of the whole house from which the door is taken, and in the opposite corner a scroll bears the words: _Captain Charles Churchill, hys house at Weathersfield in the Colony of Connecticut in Newe England_, 1754-1885. This plate is by W. F. Hopson, of New Haven, Conn., and is very effective. _Mr. Hopson’s_ own plate is also a very beautiful specimen of his skill. In this, the central panel is filled with three old folios in aged condition, tumbled together upon the table. In the upper corners, a press for plate work and a painting on an easel are seen. Below the central space, a closed portfolio affords space for the record of the number of the volume. About all, are elaborate scrolls of rustic design. Over the space, a small kettle holds a number of fine brushes, and the motto is on a ribbon which is well carried through the scrolled sides. The motto is an adaptation of one of older date, and reads as follows: _Old books to read, old prints to scan, old wood to carve, old friends to greet_.

As yet, we have but one example of the work of C. W. Sherborn, the celebrated engraver, of London, among our American book-plates. This is the beautiful plate of Mr. _S. P. Avery_, of New York City. This is not heraldic, but of a decidedly personal bent, and very indicative of the special lines of collecting to which the owner is devoted. The upper part of the plate is filled with a conventionalized tulip design, which is extremely rich in appearance and graceful in disposition. A ribbon bearing the name, _Samuel Putnam Avery_, flutters in and out among the curves of the tulip stems and leaves. Grouped at the lower edge of the plate are a number of books, in artistic bindings, one being noticeable as having a Grolieresque design. The titles of most of the books can be read, and among them

are De Bury, Shakespeare, Goethe, Emerson, Montaigne, Ruskin, Bewick, and Washington Irving. Rembrandt’s “Three Trees,” also found among the accessories at the foot, is indicative of the collector of etchings. The graver, eye-piece, cushion, and block on which the portrait of Washington is cut, denote the art of engraving, and the head of Minerva, which rests proudly upon the volume of Ruskin, represents the patron of Art. This plate is a fine example of the peculiar personal flavor which Sherborn has infused into his revival of this particular kind of German work. The grouping of the books at the bottom is excellent, and the graceful sweeps of the tulip pattern, as it fills the upper two-thirds of the plate, are very pleasing. The motto, _Far more seemly were it for thee to have thy Study full of Bookes than thy purse full of money_ (Lilly), is placed beneath the design.

Two specimens of the work of Paul Avril, for American owners, are of exceeding daintiness and delicacy in design and execution. The plate of _Clarence H. Clark_ represents Venus in gauzy drapery, with a looking-glass in her hand, reclining upon a pile of books, some of which are closed. A fragment of the scroll of a Chippendale frame, with one or two roses about, complete the decoration. The motto, _Amat victoria curam_, is seen upon the open page of a folio volume. The plate is very light and pretty.

In the plate of _George B. De Forest_, by the same artist, we are ushered into the library of the owner. Here a cherub draws back the curtain, and affords a view of the treasures upon the well-filled shelves, not only to the beholder, but also to a scantily clad female who, with one foot upon the step of the shelf-ladder, appears to halt in an ecstasy of delight. An open book on the floor, and a portfolio standing near the shelves, complete the accessories. The whole is surrounded by a frame of foliated scrolls.

In the plates of _Dr. Henry C. Eno_ we have examples of the owner’s personal skill as an etcher. In one design, a lighted candle is placed upon a closed book, which is labelled _Ex Libris Volume_, and is presumably filled with rare treasures among our very early American plates. The second plate represents a lighthouse, with rolling waves at its foot. The broad bands of light stream from the lighted lantern, across the black night. The scene is enclosed within a circular frame. This is set upon a background, which may represent a fish-net, and is finally enclosed by a border of rope. A bit of rope tied in a sailor’s knot lies under the lighthouse picture, and supports the name, _Ex Libris H. C. Eno_.

Among collectors, there has been of recent years a strong desire to secure specimens of the plates of the ladies. In England, where the heraldic features of a lady’s plate are required to be in some respects very different from those of the gentleman, they may be said to constitute a class by themselves. But with us, while of equal interest, they do not show any marked difference in their design from the gentlemen’s. Indeed, most of them, if not all, would serve just as well for one as for the other. The plate of _Charlotte Cushman_, which is heraldic, is incorrect, if judged by the rules of the art. The arms are not in a lozenge, the crest is given, and the motto is displayed. But the plate has none the less a deep interest to the American collector, who indeed can well afford to overlook any trifling irregularities which may be pointed out by a student of a science not in vogue with us. _Habeo pro jus fasque_ is the motto on the plate. Two other heraldic plates are now used by American ladies. The plate of _Mrs. E. H. L. Barker_, of Warren, R.I., is designed by Mr. J. McN. Stauffer, and is heraldically correct, in that no crest is given, and that the frame enclosing the arms is of the required form. However, the motto is given, and the animal of the crest is made to do service as a supporter of the rod on which the shield rests. The plate is small, and very neat in appearance. The plate of _Miss Jessie Brewster_, of Shelton, Conn., is a plain armorial, displaying the arms claimed by the descendants of Elder William Brewster of Massachusetts. Another Rhode Island plate, and one which is representative of the hobbies of the owner, is that of _Mrs. Alonzo Flint_, of Providence. This is a large plate, in the centre of which is an arrow-head of flint, in reference to the name of the owner. In the corners are displayed books, easel and palette, violin, music and ‘cello, and two cathedral spires,--all indicative of the likings and pursuits of the user of the plate. A wreath of ragged chrysanthemums and ivy leaves surrounds the central design, on which a beehive is placed, among hollyhocks. This is, as was intended, a plate whose every part is illustrative of the interests of the owner, who was also its designer.

The plate of _Mrs. Julia Dexter Coffin_, of Windsor Locks, Conn., was designed and is used wholly for books of music, or in her library of musical literature. The scene is within the choir of some temple. A flood of light enters the lofty apartment from the open door at the far end of the wall, and the small diamond panes of the large window reveal nothing of the outside world. Seated upon the stone bench, in the foreground, clad in classic robes, a member of the chorus, inspired by some longing, has come alone, to pour forth her feelings in song. The lyre in her hands is of old and ornamental design. Behind her, upon the wall, runs a dado on which the sacred dance is pictured; and above this a large mural painting can be seen. In the niche by the door stands a statue of Terpischore. The sound of the music seems to fill the room.