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Jany 12th 1781.
It is too much to be sure for me to expect that you should go to work blindfold upon the
transcription of my infallibility without any data to judge from? but I really cannot
at least at present give you those data. As to the letter I am rather inclined to advice
that there should be none at all and am pretty well persuaded that a Compliment or
two dispensed in the different parts of the book itself like the one which you mean to
be inserted in that part of the introduction which I have already received will answer much
better than any letter. Thought there is scarcely a possible chance of her reading the work
yet it may be contrived that these particular parts should be pointed out to her.
Consult Burkitt about the binding and let it be as elegant as possible. If there are some
with strings to it they will serve to pint out the places where she is alluded to. Your idea
of having thin as well as fine paper is certainly a very good one. Take care that the sheets are
not pressed before they are dry and that all the proper precautions are used to prevent
the printing on one leave blackening the other. Let the leaves be all turned over
after they are gilt to prevent their sticking. Let the other copies be cut but not
bound on account of cheapness and neatness. If you should have such an opinion of her
discernment as to imagine the appearance of the outside would give no merit to the contents,
you will I believe be mistaken and most certainly many of those about her
who should see a book better bound than any other will be very much inclined to give
the greatest merit to the work itself. An old Aunt of my friend Pleschijeff gave a
bible to a convent the binding of which cost about 10,000 £sterling. Happy is the man
who can get a kiss at this transcendent binding: The precious stones as they glisten
in it make many a chop to water. The expence of 2 or 3 guineas may distinguish
the merit of your work above others in as great a degree as this said bible is created.
If you could think of a short but most flattering motto to put on the outside
that would certainly succede best of all. Some few however I am in hopes there are who
we may get to read it who may be sensible to its real merits and who if it does not appear
to oppose their intent, may puff it and gain it that reputation which a book
of inferior merit however handsome the binding could not acquire. It is not even the
10,000£ binding that would as warm the hearts of the devout if it was said to be the covering of any
other book than the bible although it is the inside is perhaps never seen. In short
what all this fair reasoning comes to is that a handsome binding outside ornaments would distinguish it
in the first instance and if the inside be found to ha approved of would make it more
universally liked. strange if it should not be I now give you according
to your desire the first 2 words of each paragraph of your proposed letter.
1. Voici un livre... 2. Il y a dix ans ... 3. Apercue j'avais commence ...4. Que je vous voyes
5. Le livre qui doit accompagner ... The last paragraph has no number but begins
Pardonnez moi, I have sent you a copy of verses made by a Polish Abbe and presented
to her but do not know what reward she bestowed, however as they were spoken highly of
to me and given me by the Bishop of Wibna in my last excursion I thought you might
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Identifier: | JB/539/127/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 539.
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1781-01-19 |
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539 |
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127 |
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001 |
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Correspondence |
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Samuel Bentham |
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