Of books and things—east. David Erdman describes a recent installation of “books in parts” in the room adjoining the Arents Tobacco Collection in the New York Public Library. So far as is known, this is the only collection in which the principle of selection is that the work must have appeared piecemeal over a period of time and should still be preserved in its original paper wrappers or board covers. Dickens, Thackeray, George Eliot and Trollope first appeared in this way, and the vogue even extended to the entire field of belles lettres, including poetry, essays, biography, and took in such philosophical authors as Herbert Spencer. Famous bird and flower books with their beautiful color plates appeared thus in separate portions. The collection numbering about a thousand pieces, housed in a room decorated in the manner of a collector's treasure house, includes holograph manuscripts of some of the books, original drawings of illustrators and autograph letters relating to the books and their illustrators. Have a look next time you're in New York.