Mearne had his book forwarded, finished, and the edges gilded before beginning his painting. Then he opened the book by the upper board only, and laid it down flat on its back and kept it in that position by weights. In this position it will be found that the forage fans out into a larger panel than exists when the book is shut up. On this fanned-out panel the painting was done in water-colours with as dry a brush as possible. When the painting was finished and the book allowed to resume its normal shut position, the edge painting entirely disappeared, and the gilding on the forage looked as if nothing was behind it. So thoroughly does such a painting disappear that I have found several that were quite unknown to their owners, and I have no doubt that there are plenty of unrecognised examples in English private libraries in perfect condition and safe obscurity. [Illustration: FIG. 75.--Portrait of Charles II. in colour, on the forage of a book bound for the king by Samuel Mearne.] The only name I have found on any of Mearne’s forage paintings is that of “Fletcher.” After Mearne, for about one hundred years, I know of no particular development of forage decoration, but towards the end of the eighteenth century, the same principle was revived by James Edwards of Halifax. Edwards had an artist brother, and it is likely enough that he painted the edges on his brother’s curious vellum-bound books. The designs are not so markedly heraldic as the earlier examples were, but are often biblical. Edwards’ delicate paintings, always on small books, were copied for some considerable period, and many little books were made with such work upon them for many years. Windsor and Eton are both favourite subjects, and country houses of all sorts. Landscapes are particularly suitable for this form of painting, and many specimens are very pleasing. All the foregoing paintings are done so as to be complete on each book, but some time ago a remarkable set of Italian books, I believe of the sixteenth century, were brought to England. The forages of these volumes were painted in such a manner that the complete design only showed when they were all arranged in proper order on a shelf with their forages outwards. In the case of sets of books bound uniformly, this manner of ornamenting them is worthy of the attention of some of our enterprising modern binders. Although the greater number of books, both in manuscript and printed, have been bound in leather or vellum, there are still very many that have been covered in other materials. [Illustration: FIG. 76.--English velvet binding, with seals, made for Henry VII.] The commonest of these materials are velvet, canvas, satin, silk, cloth, linen, and buckram. I believe that all of these, except perhaps the last three in recent times, have been more used in England than they have been in any other country.