The greatest irony was that these antiquarian books, in their content, often espoused precisely those philosophies that the intellectual revolutionaries of the period had sought to overthrow. This irony was lost, however, on the bookbrokers, auctioneers, opportunistic librarians and rich collectors who had commodified these books, and now dictated their price.

Andrew Pettegree, Arthur der Weduwen, The Library- A Fragile Hist…, loc. 548