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CHAPTER VIII.

FOREIGN BINDINGS POSSESSING PECULIARITIES NOTBEFORE DESCRIBED.

The advance made by a nation in civilization, thefacilities offered for the cultivation of literature, andthe natural productions of, or readiness with whichsubstances whereon to write could he obtained, musthave ever had a very powerful effect on the modesadopted to preserve the written documents of variouscountries. Throughout Europe , as has been shown, agreat similarity in the manner now exists, howevergreat may be the difference in the beauty of appear-ance, and the style of finish. This being the case,the few peculiarities that are still found in European bindings will alone require description.

THE FRENCH ,

have a style which they call Indorsing. Its peculiarityconsists in a slip of parchment being applied over theback, between each band, the projecting ends beingp 3