Wedding Service Books, &c.—The interest and [p346] value is enhanced if the book is specially prepared—containing the proper names and dates, and only the special psalms, hymns, prayers, homilies, &c., which will be used. Dated pages may be provided at the end of the book for the signatures of the “friends and neighbours” of the principals.
BINDING MSS.
MSS. should be bound without delay in order to complete and protect them.
To bind books in stiff boards, in leather, requires considerable practice and skill, but a very effective limp vellum cover can be made by the scribe himself, who, in binding his own books, will learn to think of the binding as a part of the book, and to allow for it in the writing and planning (see p. [106]).
The following note[96] on covering books in limp vellum is specially contributed by Mr. Douglas Cockerell:—
“How to cover a book in a limp vellum cover without using special appliances.
“Cut four strips of stiff vellum 38 inch wide and about four inches long. On these slips you will sew the sections of your book.
“Add to your book a plain section at either end;[97] vellum for a vellum book, paper for a paper book. Knock up the backs of the sections squarely, keeping the heads level, and across the back mark with a soft pencil guided by a square, lines to show the position of the slips. The positions of the four slips should leave the space between the slips the same as that between the [p347] top slip and the head of the book; the space between the bottom slip and the tail should be a little longer than the spaces between the slips. At about 12 inch from either end make an additional line across the back for the “kettle” or catch stitch. These lines will show as dots on the back of single sections. Each individual section should now have at the back a dot at either end for the kettle stitches, and four pairs of dots 38 inch apart to show the position of the slips, ten dots in all.