off (in a few copies, no
doubt) on parchment. There is the edition of _Helyas, Knight of the
Swan_, printed by Wynkyn de Worde, 1512, of which only one copy
remains, and the metrical version of the _Ship of Fools_, from the
same press, 1509, of which an unique copy is in the National French
library. Let us recollect, too, the Scotish Boece of 1536, the Great
Bible of 1539, and the Tudor Prayer-Book of 1544.

Except paper, parchment (called in some old documents _parthemen_),
and vellum, there are no substances which can be said to boast any
degree of antiquity, so far as European literature is concerned. We
have, as is sufficiently well known, many others of comparatively
modern introduction, which tend to impart to the editions or specimens
for which they are employed a special value and curiosity. Such are:
(1) Whatman's hand-made paper; (2) Dutch paper (_papier de Hollande_),
of which there are cheap and worthless imitations; (3) China paper;
(4) India paper; (5) Japanese (so-called) vellum; (6) tinted paper;
(7) writing paper; (8) motley paper or paper of different colours; (9)
silk; (10) satin.

The _edition de luxe_ has consumed in its time an enormous total of
some of these descriptions of receptacle for literary products. The
lovers of the Select in Books, who more commonly regard their
possessions as _vertu_ rather than as vehicles of instruction or
amusement, not unnaturally prefer something which the ordinary
purchaser cannot procure, or at any rate does not seek. The fancy
appears to be, for the most part, worse than futile, unless it is that
books with engravings sometimes gain by being taken off on one or
another of these materials; although in practice illustrations are
found to be just as apt to come out well on ordinary paper of good
quality as on spurious vellum. It was not unusual in the last century,
in Mexico and in South America, to print on silk even ordinary works;
it may have been possibly found cheaper than paper. Satin is purely
ceremonial.

Certain books occur of various dates, such as the _Livre de Quatre
Couleurs_, printed on paper of various shades or colours, either for
some passing reason or as a mere matter of fancy. A modern jest-book
appeared not long since, harmoniously executed on motley paper in a
motley binding--a humorous conceit!

It is sufficiently remarkable that neither the Printing nor the
Book-binding industries ever erected themselves into societies or
guilds, as did