The plate of the Abbé de Gricourt shows us that he considered the terrestrial globe unworthy to bear his coat-of-arms, which is therefore being carried away to its home in paradise by a swarm of little angels singing psalms in his praise, and weaving garlands of flowers to crown his achievement. This ambitious plate is signed by A. T. Cys (Adrien Théry, à Cisoing), who was a brother of the Abbé de Gricourt. [Illustration: BOOK-PLATE OF MICHEL, COMTE DE FAULTRIERES, 1730.] The plates of this later period are, for the most part, affected, pompous, and even ridiculous in their assumptions. Shields in impossible attitudes, either resting on nothing, or falling over the supporters. These, in their turn, no longer perform their ancient duties seriously, but lounge about, lie asleep at their posts, or yawn with _ennui_ at having to take a part in such a farce as heraldry in France had now become. As for the few plates of this period which preserve the ancient regularity of form and correct heraldic drawing, these usually belong to the families most entitled to bear arms, yet they look archaic and formal beside their more ornate brethren. [Illustration: BOOK-PLATE OF FRAN. MOUCHARD, ECUYER, 1732.] The plates which have been reproduced to illustrate this period, 1700 to 1789, have been selected principally to show the varying styles in fashion in each decade, until we reach a date when French society is rudely convulsed by political events. [Illustration: BOOK-PLATE OF F. G. LECUYER.] Three scarce plates are those of Louis XV., of Madame Victoire de France, and of the Bastille. That of Louis XV. is a fine plate for folio size, designed by A. Dieu and engraved by L. Audran. It has a monogram of double L on a shield, which is surrounded by trophies, and surmounted by the royal crown. The plates for Madame Victoire de France (daughter of Louis XV.) and for the Château de la Bastille bear the French royal arms--azure, three fleurs-de-lys or. [Illustration: BOOK-PLATE OF R. JEHANNOT DE BEAUMONT, 1742.] Apart from heraldry, we have now reached the period when purely artistic and decorative ex-libris commence to show themselves, and when artists such as Ferrand, Beaumont, F. Montulay, L. Monnier, Nicole and Collin, both of Nancy, J. Traiteur, de la Gardette, Berthault, L. Choffard, Le Roy, Cochin, Gravelot, Marillier, Moreau le jeune, Pierre St.-Aubin, and Gaucher, put some of their best work into these little copper plates. Even Boucher condescended to engrave a few plates, of which, however, but three are known, and one only is signed. [Illustration: BOOK-PLATE OF DELALEU, 1754.] With the multiplication of books in the eighteenth century came a proportionate decrease in their intrinsic value. With the exception of an occasional _édition de luxe_, or of books scarce only because they ought never to have existed at all, lovers of artistic bookbinding found their hobby almost useless. [Illustration: BOOK-PLATE OF P. A. CONVERS, 1762.]