[149] ["Would one not suppose that I had told M. Dibdin that it was
    impossible for the French to execute as fine plates as the English?  If
    so, I should stand alone in that opinion.  I only expatiated on the
    beauty of the wood-cut vignettes which adorn many volumes of the 4to. 
    Shakspeare by Bulmer. (N.B.  Mr. Bulmer never printed a Shakspeare in
    4to. or with wood cuts; but Mr. Bensley did—­in an 8vo. form.) Their
    execution is astonishing.  Wood engraving, carried to such a pitch of
    excellence in England, is, in fact, very little advanced in France: 
    and on this head I agree with M. Dibdin.”  CRAPELET, iv. 104.]

[150] ["How can M. Dibdin forget the respect due to his readers, to give
    them a recital of dinners, partaken of at the houses of private
    persons, as if he were describing those of a tavern?  How comes it that
    he was never conscious of the want of good taste and propriety of
    conduct, to put the individuals, of whom he was speaking, into a sort
    of dramatic form, and even the MISTTRESSES OF THE HOUSE!  CRAPELET: 
    Vol. iv. 106.  I have given as unsparing a version as I could (against
    myself) in the preceding extract; but the sting of the whole matter,
    as affecting M. Crapelet, may be drawn from the concluding words.  And
    yet, where have I spoken ungraciously and uncourteously of Madame?]

[151] [Bozerian undoubtedly had his merits.]—­Lesne has been
    singularly lively in describing the character of Bozerian’s binding. 
    In the verse ...

      Il dit, et secouant le joug de la manie....

he appears to have been emulous of rivalling the strains, of the Epic Muse; recalling, as it were, a sort of Homeric scene to our recollection:  as thus—­of Achilles rushing to fight, after having addressed his horses: 

      [Greek:  E ra, kai en protois iachon eche monuchas hippos]

[152] Some account of French bookbinders may be also found in the
    Bibliographical Decameron, vol. ii. p. 496-8.

[153] Cependant Thouvenin est un de ces hommes extraordinaires qui,
    semblables a ces corps lumineux que l’on est convenu d’appeler
    cometes, paraissent une fois en un siecle.  Si, plus ambitieux de
    gloire que de fortune, il continue a, se surveiller; si, moins ouvrier
    qu’artiste, il s’occupe sans relache du perfectionnement de la
    reliure, il fera epoque dans son art comme ces grands hommes que nous
    admirons font epoque dans la litterature. p. 117.

[154] [In the year 1819, Lord Spencer sent over to the Marquis de
    Chateaugiron, a copy of the Ovid De Tristilus, translated by
    Churchyard, 1578, 4to. (his contribution to the Roxburghe Club) as a
    present from ONE President of Bibliophiles to ANOTHER.  It was bound by