The In the good old days when printing was better recognized as a mystery than as an art, one could call a printer ‘a man of letters’ without being guilty of a pun. Books were for the few then, and the man who would print them must be somewhat of a scholar himself. To-day, amid the whirr of many presses, and the hurrying to and fro of the printing office, the printer finds little or no time for literary pursuits, despite the fact that printing is, in very truth, the handmaid of literature....

THERE are many of the forces of Nature which tend to injure Books; but among them all not one has been half so destructive as Fire. It would be tedious to write out a bare list only of the numerous libraries and bibliographical treasures which, in one way or another, have been seized by the Fire-king as his own. Chance conflagrations, fanatic incendiarism, judicial bonfires, and even household stoves have, time after time, thinned the treasures as well as the rubbish of past ages, until, p...

The original works of foreign classics, including the most representative literary masters and the most influential representative works.

In "The Enemies of Books," William Blades presents a captivating exploration of the myriad threats to books and the written word throughout history. Blades employs a blend of scholarly rigor and engaging narrative style, which reflects his deep passion for bibliophilia. The work weaves together historical anecdotes, literary analysis, and personal reflections on the fragility of books, addressing not just physical destruction but also more insidious cultural and societal influences that en...

In "The Enemies of Books," William Blades presents a captivating exploration of the myriad threats to books and the written word throughout history. Blades employs a blend of scholarly rigor and engaging narrative style, which reflects his deep passion for bibliophilia. The work weaves together historical anecdotes, literary analysis, and personal reflections on the fragility of books, addressing not just physical destruction but also more insidious cultural and societal influences that en...

In "Shakspere & Typography," William Blades delves into the intricate relationship between the renowned playwright William Shakespeare and the art of printing. This scholarly work combines rich historical detail with a meticulous examination of typography's evolution during the Elizabethan era, a time when the printed word began to assume its formidable cultural power. Blades employs a clear and engaging literary style, interweaving primary sources and anecdotes to illuminate the condition...

This volume brings together vivid studies of William Blades, the printer-scholar whose life was devoted to the craft, history, and evidence of books. A practical bibliographer who wrote only on subjects he knew intimately, Blades emerges as a meticulous investigator of Caxton, early type, specimen books, watermarks, medals, and the origins of printing itself. From the Caxton Exhibition of 1877 and the Plantin Museum at Antwerp to the first presses at Oxford and St. Albans, he combines tech...

In "Shakspere & Typography," William Blades meticulously examines the intricate relationship between William Shakespeare's works and the typographical practices of his time. Blades delves into the historical context of Elizabethan printing, exploring how the visual presentation of texts impacted their reception and legacy. The book features a blend of meticulous research and engaging prose, enriched with illustrations and facsimiles of early editions, which breathe life into Shakespeare's ...

A fascinating look at the myriad enemies of the printed book, from fire, to neglect, to children, to the bookworm, to plain old ignorance. A passionate litany against all who would see printed literature destroyed, written by English printer and bibliographer William Blades.

In "The Enemies of Books," William Blades examines the myriad threats that literature has faced throughout history, from physical decay and neglect to the insidious influences of censorship and obscurantism. Written in a reflective style that echoes the contemplative prose of 19th-century essays, Blades draws on an array of literary references and historical anecdotes to elucidate the struggles of books as both cultural artifacts and vessels of knowledge. The work is situated within the la...

Discover a new way to read classics with Quick Read.This Quick Read edition includes both the full text and a summary for each chapter.- Reading time of the complete text: about 2 hours- Reading time of the summarized text: 9 minutes"The Enemies of Books" is a book written by William Blades, a 19th-century bibliophile and book collector. It was first published in 1880 and has since been republished in different editions. The book focuses on the preservation of ...

Shakspere & Typography By William Blades. Edited & Reprinted by The Winthrop Press for The American Type Founders Company.William Blades is an English printer and bibliographer, was born at Clapham, London.