A certain Cheshire clergyman, who died not very long since, sought euphony in a string of commands to intending borrowers, which he had printed on his book-plate; 'Borrow bravely; Keep carefully; Peruse patiently; Return righteously.' What a pity he did not spell 'carefully' with a 'k' whilst he was about it! The Plymouth architect and author, George Wightwick, or, as he evidently pronounced it, _Witick_, used to affix in his books:-- 'To whomsoever this book I _lend_ I _give_ one word--no more; They who to _borrow_ condescend Should graciously _restore_. And whosoe'er this book should find (Be't trunk-maker or critick), I'll thank him if he'll bear in mind That it is mine, GEORGE WIGHTWICK.' See, too, how a certain Mr. Charles Woodward protected, or thought he protected, the volumes which good nature may have prompted him to lend. His plate shows an opened volume, on one page of which is written: 'Narrative--promising to send me home at the appointed time. Finis.' Evidently Mr. Woodward, like the honest liar before mentioned, was not a man to lend his volumes for an indefinite period. Having quoted various recent English examples of this kind, we are in duty bound to cite some from other component parts of the United Kingdom. Under the name 'H. Macdonald' we find: 'Tear not, nor soil not; Read all, but spoil not.' 'A good book is a good friend; he who would injure the one deserves not the respect of the other.' There is something almost pathetic in the exclamation which Mr. John Marks makes his volumes utter: 'Gentle reader, take me home; I belong to John Marks, 20 Cook Street, Cork'; and then the evil-minded borrower is reminded of the scriptural condemnation of his kind by reference to 'Psalm xxxvii. ver. 21.' Before this comes-- 'ADVICE FOR THE MILLION Neither a borrower or a lender be, For loan oft loses both itself and friend, And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry. True for you, Mr. Shakespeare! MORAL Of all books and chattels that ever I lent, I never got back five-and-twenty per cent. Fac, my Bredern!' We may presume from this that Mr. John Marks tried to be funny, and from his composition getting into print he may flatter himself that he succeeded. One more example of these warnings to borrowers and we have done with the subject. Lord De Tabley fixes the date of it as 1820, but surely it must be the composition of some eleventh century reprobate, who on his death-bed richly endowed a neighbouring monastery, and threatened any one who should ever disturb his endowment. The words appear on the book-plate of O. M[oore], and they read in translation: 'If any one steals this book, and with furtive hand carries it off, let him go to the foul waves of Acheron, never to return.'