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Roger Payne was a native of Windsor Forest, and first became initiated in the rudiments of the art he afterward became so distinguished a professor of, under the auspices of Mr. Pote, bookseller to Eton College. From this place he went to London, where he was first employed by Mr. Thomas Osborne, the bookseller, of Holborn, London. Disagreeing on some matters, he subsequently obtained employment from Mr. Thomas Payne, of the King's Mews, St. Martin's, who ever after proved a friend to him. Mr. Payne established him in business near Leicester Square, about the year 1769-70, and the encouragement he received from his patron, and many wealthy possessors of libraries, was such that the happiest results and a long career of prosperity might have been anticipated. His talents as an artist, particularly in the finishing department, were of the first order, and such as, up to his time, had not been developed by any other of his countrymen.

He adopted a style peculiarly his own, uniting a classical taste in the formation of his designs, and much judgment in the selection of such ornament as was applicable to the nature of the work it was to embellish. Many of these he made himself of iron, and some are yet preserved as curiosities and specimens of the skill of the man. To this occupation he may have been at times driven from lack of money to procure them from the tool-cutters; but it cannot be set down as being generally so, for, in the formation of the designs in which he so much excelled, it is but reasonable to suppose, arguing upon the practice of some others in later times, he found it readier and more expedient to manufacture certain lines, curves, &c. on the occasion. Be this as it may, he succeeded in executing binding in so superior a manner as to have no rival and to command the admiration of the most fastidious book-lover of his time. He had full employment from the noble and wealthy, and the estimation his bindings are still held in is a sufficient proof of the satisfaction he gave his employers. His best work is in Earl Spencer's library.

His reputation as an artist of the greatest merit was obscured, and eventually nearly lost, by his intemperate habits. He loved drink better than meat. Of this propensity an anecdote is related of a memorandum of money spent, and kept by himself, which runs thus:--

For bacon 1 halfpenny. For liquor 1 shilling.

No wonder then, with habits like these, that the efforts of his patron, in fixing him, were rendered of no avail. Instead of rising to that station his great talent would have led to, he fell by his dissolute conduct to the lowest depths of misery and wretchedness. In his wretched working-room was executed the most splendid specimens of binding; and here on the same shelf were mixed together old shoes and precious leaves--bread and cheese, with the most valuable and costly of MSS. or early-printed books.

That he was characteristic or eccentric may be judged by what has been related of him. He appears to have also been a poet on the subject of his unfortunate propensity, as the following extract from a copy of verses sent with a bill to Mr. Evans, for binding "Barry on the Wines of the Ancients," proves.

The following bill is, like himself, a curiosity:--

"Fine Drawing paper and very neat Morrocco } Joints inside. Their was a few leaves stained } 0 : 0 : 6 at the foredge, which is washed and cleaned... }

"The subject of the Book being Rusticum, I have ventured to putt The Vine Wreath on it. I hope I have not bound it in too rich a manner for the Book. It takes up a great deal of time to do these Vine Wreaths. I guess within Time I am certain of measuring and working the different and various small tools required to fill up the Vine Wreath that it takes very near 3 days' work in finishing the two sides only of the Book--but I wished to do my best for the Work--and at the same time I cannot expect to charge a full and proper price for the Work, and hope that the price will not only be found reasonable but cheap 0 : 18 : 0"

Roger commenced business in partnership with his brother Thomas Payne, and subsequently was in like manner connected with one Richard Weir, but did not long agree with either, so that separation speedily took place. He afterward worked under the roof of Mr. Mackinlay, but his later efforts showed that he had lost much of that ability he had been so largely endowed with. Pressed down with poverty and disease, he breathed his last in Duke's Court, St. Martin's Lane, on the 20th of November, 1797. His remains were interred in the burying-ground of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, at the expense of Mr. Thomas Payne, who, as before stated, had been his early friend, and who, for the last eight years of his life, had rendered him a regular pecuniary assistance both for the support of his body and the performance of his work.

Of the excellencies and defects of his bindings, Dr. Dibdin, in his "Bibliographer's Decameron," has thus recorded his opinion:--

Though Roger Payne's career had not been successful, so far as he was personally concerned, it had the effect of benefiting the whole race of English bookbinders. A new stimulus had been given to the trade, and a new and chastened style introduced among the more talented artists of the metropolis. The unmeaning ornaments we have before alluded to were discarded, and a series of classical, geometrical, and highly-finished designs adopted. The contemporaries of Roger--Kalthber, Staggemier, Walther, Hering, Falkner, &c.--exerted themselves with a generous rivalry to execute the most approved bindings.

Mr. Mackenzie deserves to be mentioned with respect among modern binders. Charles Lewis, so highly eulogized by Mr. Dibdin, attained great celebrity, and his bindings are much prized. His style of ornament was very neat, the panels of the backs generally double-mitred, and the sides finished in a corresponding manner. Mr. Clarke deserves especial commendation; for tree-marbled calf he stands unrivalled, although Mr. Riviere has executed some beautiful specimens. Mr. Bedford also enjoys considerable reputation; but it is to Mr. Hayday that the leading position among the London artists is now generally assigned. His quaint old-fashioned morocco bindings are inimitable. Lady Willoughby's Diary has been extensively copied, but not equalled. His Bibles and Prayer Books are well forwarded; the edges are solidly gilt with gold of a very deep colour, while the finishing is rich and massive without being gaudy. A book in the library of J. W. King Eyton, Esq., bound by Hayday, is thus described:--

"The work is a large paper copy of the late Mr. Blakeway's 'Sheriffs of Shropshire,' in imperial folio, with the armorial bearings beautifully coloured. The binding is of blood-coloured morocco, extending an inch and a half all round the inside of the cover, on which is placed a bold but open border tooled in gold, forming a fine relief to the rest of the inside, which is in purple, elegantly worked all over in hexagons running into each other in the Venetian style. In each compartment is placed the lion rampant and fleur-de-lis alternately. The fly-leaves are of vellum, ornamented with two narrow gold lines, and the edges are tooled. The back consists of hexagons, inlaid with purple, containing the lion and fleur-de-lis aforesaid, but somewhat smaller than those in the interior. The design on the outside is a triumphal arch, occupying the entire side, highly enriched, with its cornices, mouldings, &c. executed in suitable small ornamental work; from its columns, and other parts of the structure, are suspended the shields of the Sheriffs, seventy in number, the quarterings of which, with their frets, bends, &c., are curiously inlaid in different colours of morocco, and, with the ornamental parts of the bearings, have been blazoned with heraldic accuracy on both sides of the volume. When we state that more than 57,000 impressions of tools have been required to produce this wonderful exemplar of ingenuity and skill, some idea may be formed of the time and labour necessary for its execution."

This volume was finished by Thomas Hussey, who is now employed in Philadelphia, and who has in his possession the patterns executed upon the sides and back.

MANUAL

OF THE

ART OF BOOKBINDING.

SHEET WORK.

As the gathering of the sheets of a book, after they have been printed and dried off, is nearly always performed at the printer's, it will not be necessary to enter into any details on that subject, but to consider, as the commencement of binding, the operation of

FOLDING,

which is of great importance, the beauty of a book depending on its being properly and correctly folded, so that, when it is cut, the margin of the different pages may be uniform throughout, and present no transpositions, to the inconvenience of the reader and deterioration of the work.

Although each form is folded in a different manner, it will not be requisite to detail the whole, as a description of the octavo and twelvemo will amply furnish an idea of the proper way of folding the larger and smaller sizes.

In the first fold of the octavo sheet is shown the manner of folding the folio, and in the second the quarto; the twelvemo also presents us with the eighteens, after the sheet is cut into three divisions. Little or no difficulty will be experienced in folding any other size that may occur, attention to the disposition of the pages and signatures being only required.

The sheets of the book, being all folded, are then laid out along the edge of the gathering table, in the regular order of the signatures; the gatherer then commences at the last sheet or signature, takes one sheet from the parcel, one from the next, and so on until the first sheet or title is placed upon the top of the rest. The sheets are then held loosely in the hand, and allowed to fall lightly upon their backs and heads upon a smooth board, until they arrange themselves in an even, uniform manner. They are then

COLLATED,

BEATING, PRESSING, ETC.

It requires more skill than actual strength in beating, the weight of the hammer being nearly sufficient for many works. Attention must be paid to the hammer descending parallel to the surface of the stone, to avoid marking or cutting the sheets with the edge.

A rolling-machine has been invented as a substitute for the beating which books require previous to being bound. The book is divided into parts, according to the thickness of the book; each part is then placed between tins, or pieces of sole-leather; the rollers are then put in motion, and the part passed through. This is repeated until the requisite degree of solidity is obtained. The great objections to the rolling-machine are the liabilities to cause a set-off, or transfer of the printing-ink, upon the opposite page, by the friction which is produced by passing between the rollers, and the bow-like appearance which they give the book, and which is to the forwarder a serious cause of annoyance, and sometimes all his skill and care are insufficient to remedy the evil caused by the rollers.

A powerful embossing press, technically called a smasher, has lately been employed with great advantage. A book is placed between tins, the platen is adjusted to a proper height, and the large fly-wheels set in motion. The platen descends in a perpendicular manner; then, upon its ascending, by means of a small handle the distance between the platens is decreased; the wheels still continuing in motion, the book, upon the descent of the platen, is compressed more forcibly than at first. The operation is repeated until the book has experienced the whole power of the press. It has been calculated that by this process a single volume will, if necessary, undergo a pressure equal to a weight of from fifty to eighty tons.

This process has an advantage over every other hitherto employed in which machinery has been engaged; and it is, in some respects, preferable to beating, as the book is of the same thickness in every part, while in beating there is a great liability to beat the edges thinner than the centre; and the air appears to be as completely forced out as if the beating-hammer had been used; and there seems to be no disposition in the book to swell up again after undergoing this crushing process.

In some binderies a hydraulic press is relied upon for compressing the sheets, without their undergoing the beating or rolling process. For publishers' work it has been found to answer the purpose for which it is employed, as the press can be filled up by placing the books in layers of from one to four or eight, according to their size, between iron plates; and the immense power of the press is thus evenly distributed through a large quantity of sheets at the same time.

The power of compression is derived from the pump to the left of the press, which is supplied with water from a cistern sunk under it. The water thus sent, by means of the tube seen passing from it to the centre of the foot of the press, causes the cylinder to which the bed is fixed to rise and compress the books or paper tightly between the bed and head of the press. When it is forced as high as can be by means of the pump-handle seen, a larger bar is attached and worked by two men. The extraordinary power of this press is so great as to cause, particularly in common work, a saving of more than three-fourths of the time required in bringing books to a proper solidity by the common press. When it is wished to withdraw the books, the small cock at the end of the tube at the foot of the press is turned, the water flows into the cistern below, and the bed with the books glides gently down in front of the workman. Two presses are frequently worked by the same pump, one being on each side.

The hydraulic press is manufactured by nearly all the press-makers, differing only in the general design, the application of power being the same.

SAWING THE BACKS.

SEWING.

There are various ways of sewing, according to the size and thickness of the sheets of a book. A volume consisting of thick sheets, or a sheet containing a plate or map, should be sewn singly the whole length, in order to make the work more secure and solid. Great care should also be taken not to draw the thread too tight at the head or foot of the book. The thread, in order to keep the book of the same thickness at the ends and centre, should be drawn parallel with the bench, and not downwards, as is too frequently the case. Upon the proper swelling of the back mainly depends the regularity of the round and firmness of the back in the after-stages of the binding.

Half-sheets, to obviate the swelling of the back too much, are usually sewn on four bands, which admit of three on a course: the first sheet is sewn as in three bands, from the kettle-stitch to the first band, the next to the second, and the third takes the middle space; then the second sheet again from the third to the fourth band, and the first from thence to the other kettle-stitch. The third sheet having only one stitch, it is necessary that, in sawing, the distance from the second to the third band should be left considerably longer than between the others. Quartos are generally sewn on five bands to make the work firmer, but if in half-sheets, as in the folio size, six or more are used, sewing as many sheets on as bands, giving each sheet but one tack or sewing, and piercing the needle through the whole of the course at each end or kettle-stitch before fastening the thread. This, which gives sufficient firmness, is necessary to prevent the swelling of the back which a less number of sheets in a course would make and spoil the appearance of the binding.

When the book is composed of single leaves, plates, or maps, or, as in the case of music, where, from the decayed state of the back, it is necessary to cut off a portion with the plough in the manner pointed out for cutting edges, the whole must be attached to the bands by what is called whipping or overcasting. This is by taking a section, according to the thickness of the paper, and forcing the needle through the whole at the kettle-stitch, and on each side of all the bands, at a distance sufficient to secure the stitches from tearing, bringing the thread round each band, as before directed, and fastening it at the end before proceeding with another course. To keep the whole of the sheets properly even, the back is sometimes glued immediately after cutting, and when dry divided into sections. Atlases and books of prints, when folded in the middle, will require a guard, or slip of paper, to be pasted to them, so as to allow them to open flat, which they could not do if attached to the back, and which would destroy the engraving. These guards must be of strong paper about an inch in breadth and folded to the right size. They are sewn by overcasting, as above directed.

A better method for books of plates, or single leaves, is, after cutting the back evenly with the plough, to lay it between boards and glue the back evenly over with thin glue. After it has become dry and hard, separate it into thin sections; then let it be sawn out in the usual manner; it should then be taken and whipped, or overcast in separate sections with fine thread, care being taken in whipping the sections that it be evenly and neatly done. After the sections are all whipped, they should be sewn or affixed to the bands in the same manner as folded sheets.

If you desire to revel in the full enjoyment of a flexible back, have it sewn with silk upon silken bands or cords, and you will have a combination of elasticity and strength that cannot be surpassed.

For large volumes of engravings, the best mode of binding, so as to secure strength and also to allow the plates to lie flat when the volume is open, is to mount the plates with linen upon guards. To do this properly, select paper of the same thickness as the plates, cut it in strips an inch or an inch and a half wide, paste the back edge of the plate about a quarter of an inch in depth, from top to bottom; then lay a strip of thin linen or paper-muslin along the pasted edge of the plate, and rub it so that it will adhere. The strips of linen must be sufficiently wide to project beyond the plate as far as the width of the paper guards. One of the latter is then to be evenly pasted over and laid upon the projecting strip of linen, carefully smoothed, and laid between pasteboards to dry after they are thus mounted. The plates are then whipped along the back edge of the guard, and sewed in the usual manner.

INDIA-RUBBER BACKS.

In those instances where the leaves of a book are held together by caoutchouc cement instead of by sewing, the sheets are cut up into separate leaves, and every leaf made true and square at the edges. The back edge is then brought to a rounded form, by allowing the sheets to arrange themselves in a grooved recess or mould; and in that state the leaves are all moistened at the back edges with a cement of liquid caoutchouc or India-rubber. The quantity so applied is very small. In a few hours, it is sufficiently dry to take another coat of a somewhat stronger caoutchouc solution. In forty-eight hours, four applications of the caoutchouc may be made and dried. The back and the adjoining part of the sides are next covered with the usual band or fillet of cloth glued on with caoutchouc; after which the book is ready to have the boards attached, and to be covered with leather or parchment, as may be desired.

FORWARDING.

This branch of the art may be divided into several parts. We will give precedence to that branch or class of forwarding that requires the utmost precision and opens to the ambitious forwarder a field of exertion worthy of his best efforts. Let the workman who strives to excel in his art remember that his work goes through the hands of critics and judges; that it possibly may be compared with the productions of the most celebrated artists. Let him, then, look well to his laurels if engaged upon first-class job or

CUSTOMER WORK.

If a joint of calf or morocco is required, all that is necessary for the forwarder to do is to tip the back-edge of the lining that goes next to the book very slightly, merely to secure it until it reaches the finisher, and place one or two guards of stout paper along the joint, to be afterwards torn out by the finisher.

These matters being adjusted, the end-paper turned back to its place, and the twine on which the book has been sewn pulled tight, care having been taken to avoid pressing the twine against the end-papers, on account of their liability to tear near the bands, the bands which are intended to be laced in the boards must be opened, or the strands separated with a bodkin and scraped with a dull knife so as to bring them to a point and make them more convenient to pass through the boards which are to form the side covers.

The book is now taken between the hands and well beaten up at the back and head on a smooth board, or on the laying-press, to bring the sheets level and square, as the beauty of the book, in all the subsequent operations, depends much on the care and attention paid in this place. The volume is then laid carefully upon a board, with the back to the edge of the board, a strip of pasteboard is laid on the upper side, the book placed in the laying-press, and the back evenly glued. The glue should be well rubbed in between the sheets, taking care that the sheets are even on the back and the volume equal in thickness throughout the whole length. It is then laid on a board to dry, but must not be placed before the fire, as, by so doing, the glue becomes hard and liable to crack in the process of

ROUNDING.

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