BOOK CUAIXS. ^99 



In 1689 S. John's College, Cambridge, gives 10 15^. for 

 Loggan's book on Cambridge. But in 1690 Eton pays only 4 

 for the two volumes of the two Universities. It is probable that 

 the higher price given by the Cambridge College included a 

 present to the author, and that the payment does not therefore 

 represent the author's or the bookseller's charge for the volume. 



BOOK CHAINS. In vol. iv. p. 603 I commented on the 

 price of such book chains as were found in the period 

 included within those volumes. It may be convenient to take 

 the notices which are found within the present period. I find 

 them for twenty-six years, chiefly from the Oxford Colleges, 

 especially New College, All Souls, Corpus Christi, and 

 Magdalen, all of which societies during the seventeenth 

 century were active in founding and developing libraries. 



The price of book chains varies considerably, from over qs. 

 a dozen, the highest price, to $s. 2*/., the lowest. But by far 

 the commonest charge is from 4s. to $s. From one of the 

 entries it appears that they were procured from Birmingham 

 (called Bromingham in the account), and from another that 

 they were purchased by the yard or ell. The price too given 

 on this occasion (1632), 5^. by the dozen ells, 4*. by the dozen 

 yards, when taken in connexion with the ordinary price of 

 these articles, implies that the chains were a yard or ell in 

 length. The quality and character of these chains can be easily 

 verified by an examination of those which still exist in old 

 libra: 



The custom of chaining books to the shelves appears to 

 have come to an end at the outbreak of the war between the 

 Parliament and Charles. There is only one entry, with three 

 prices of such chains, after this period. This is in 1666, by 

 New College. But while two of these quotations, at 4s. 6d. 

 and ;,.s. id. the dozen, may very well be book chains, the third, 

 at 6zs. 6d. the dozen, is certainly not. There is evidence of 

 considerable activity in the publication of books after the 

 Restoration, and it is clear that wealth among certain classes 

 of society increased largely during the latter half of the seven- 



