Show MOST UNIQUE OF LIBRARIES that of the poet robert southay South cy probably has the greatest claim to distinction the library of robert southey Sout bey english consisted of about ufim volumes that Is probably the larg est number of books ever collected b a person of such limited means III son writes that many ot the book were in vellum or parchment bindings his brother thomas southey was a letterer he painted the back of the books in some bright cailor and put the title on this colored back ground in large gold letters of the old english type another fancy of the poets was tc have all the books of lesser kalua which had become ragged and dirty covered or rather bound in colored cotton prints for the sake of making them clean and respectable since he could not afford to have so many put into leather bindings his daughters aided by any female friend who might be staying with them performed that task and they bound thus at different times som 1400 volumes they filled one room completely and southey called it the cottonman Cott onlan library he took great pleasure in watching and directing this work the ladles would often suit the pattern to the contents they would clothe a quaker work or beoh of sermons in somber drab poetry in some flowery pattern and sometimes they would contrive a sly piece 0 satire at the expense of some work by their choice of its binding there was one convenience about this mode 0 binding for the books were identified by their conspicuous dress and very easily found youth s companion |