HARLES Whittingham the Nephew and William Pickering were fast friends for a quarter of a century. During all that time they never

had a disagreement, so far as I can learn, although they had many an argument concerning the fashion of a book. Whittingham's judgment in "make-ups" usually prevailed, as Pickering always acknowledged with the best grace in the world. The two men met frequently for consultation, and whenever the bookseller visited the press, which he often did, there were brave experiments toward. The printer would produce something new in title-pages, or in color-work, or ornament, and the bookseller would propound some

new venture in the reproduction of an ancient volume. Each man was ready to receive suggestions from the other, and ready to give them, into the bargain. They made it a point, moreover, to pass their Sundays together, either at the printer's house or at Pickering's, and I dare say planned all manner of hazards even then. But as it was the artistic side of the book-making business, and as the intercourse brought forth a numerous progeny of superb prayer-books, breviaries, and ecclesiastical manuals, I venture to bespeak for our departed friends the pardon of the Lord's Day Observance folk.

The names and the works of Whittingham and Pickering were so long and so intimately associated that it was natural enough for a friend of the printer to ask one day which man had more influenced the other-Pickering Whittingham, or Whittingham Pickering.

"My dear sir,” replied Nephew Charles, "when you tell me which half of a pair of scissors is the more useful I will answer your question!"

William Pickering's bookshop was frequented by "the most distinguished patrons of the day." It had been so from the first, for Pickering had started in business under fortunate, albeit slightly irregular auspices, due to the romantic, if somewhat secret, circumstances of his birth. He was of noble lineage, although the conventionalities of

this life made it impolitic for his parents ever to acknowledge him. His father was a book-loving earl, and his mother a lady of title. Though the lad came into the world "without benefit of clergy," he was not uncared for. He was put to nurse with the wife of a tailor named Pickering, in St. James'. He received a good education, and was apprenticed to John and Arthur Arch, two Quaker brothers, who were booksellers at 61 Cornhill, and among whose apprentices Pickering had for his friends Thomas Sotheran and L. A. Lewis. The latter became, next to Whittingham, Pickering's most intimate associate through life; the former was the father of Henry Sotheran, one of the bestknown London booksellers of the past fifty years. When Pickering started in business for himself "a mysterious stranger" placed one thousand pounds to his credit at the bank. With this assistance the young fellow made a place for himself in the book-trade, and being a man of shrewdness, and having a love for his calling, he prospered and left behind him an honored name.

He

Publishing was not his chief employment. was notably a seller of old and rare books and manuscripts. He was also the book-buyer for many great libraries and for private collectors. His judgment was remarkably sound, and he had an extensive knowledge of books which won him serviceable reputation among bibliophiles. He