ILLUSTRATIONS.

SERVANT USING A "CAXTON" TO LIGHT THE FIRE --- _Frontispiece_,

PIRATES THROWING LIBRARY OVER-BOARD ---------- page 19

FRIARS AND THEIR ASS-LOAD -------------------- 35

BRUSHING CLOTHES IN A COLLEGE LIBRARY -------- 45

BOOKWORMS ------------------------------------ 73

RATS DESTROYING BOOKS ------------------------ 99

HOUSEHOLD FLY-DAMAGE ------------------------- 102

BOYS RAMPANT IN LIBRARY ---------------------- 141



THE ENEMIES OF BOOKS.

CHAPTER I.

FIRE.

THERE are many of the forces of Nature which tend to injure Books;
but among them all not one has been half so destructive
as Fire. It would be tedious to write out a bare list only
of the numerous libraries and bibliographical treasures which,