6716. ---- a light Bundle of Lively Discourses, called Churchyard's Charge, presented as a New Year's Gift to the Earl of Savoy, 1589, 4to. 11 5 0

6717. ---- Challenge, b.l., 1580, with a copious Manuscript account of his works, by J. Reed, and a small octavo Tract, called A Discourse of Rebellion, 1570, 4to. 17 10 0

6755. Gascoigne (George) whole workes, _fine copy in Russia_, 4to., b.l., 1567. 15 5 0

6777. Cynthia, with certain Sonnets, _rare_, 1595, 8vo. 12 5 0

7479. Whetstone (George) Mirror of true Honor, and Christain [Transcriber's Note: Christian] Nobilitie, exposing the Life, Death, and Divine Vertues of Francis Earl of Bedford, b.l., 1585, 4to. 7 0 0

7705. Beaumont and Fletcher's Philaster; or Love lies a bleeding, _frontispiece_, 4to., 1620. 24 0 0

8536. Shakspeariana, a Large Assemblage of Tracts by various authors, relative to Shakspeare, neatly bound in 9 vols.

8vo. 23 0 0

8561. Stillingfleet (Benj.) Plays, never either finished or published. _The only copy ever seen by Mr. Reed._ 3 13 6

8676. A volume of unpublished and unprinted Fables, by John Ellis, scrivener and translator of Maphaeus. _Note by Mr.

Reed:_ 'It was given to me by Mr. John Sewell, bookseller, to whom Mr. Ellis bequeathed his Manuscripts. See my account of Mr. Ellis in the European Magazine, Jan. 1792: large 4to.' The volume is enriched with fine engravings, appropriate to each Fable. 6 0 0

8833. Notitia Dramatica, both printed and manuscript; containing a Chronological Account of the chief Incidents relating to the English Theatres, from Nov. 1734, to 31st Dec. 1785. "Collected from various sources, but chiefly the Public Advertisers, which were lent me by Mr. Woodfall for the purpose. This volume contains the most material facts relating to the Theatres for the last fifty years, and will be useful to any person who may wish to compile a History of the Stage." Isaac Reed, Staple's Inn, Aug. 6. 1784. 41 0 0

Of this Catalogue, there are _only twelve copies_ printed upon LARGE PAPER; which were all distributed previous to the sale of the books. The common paper copies are very indifferently executed. The late Mr. George Baker had the completest _l.p._ copy of this catalogue in existence.

Before we proceed to give an account of subsequent book-sales, it may be as well to pause for a few minutes--and to take a retrospective view of the busy scene which has been, in part, described: or rather, it may be no incurious thing to lay before the reader for a future century (when the ashes of the author shall have long mouldered into their native dust) a statement of the principal book-sales which took place from November, 1806, to November, 1807--at Messrs. Leigh and Sotheby's King and Lochee's, and Mr. Stewart's. The minor ones carried on under Covent-Garden Piazza, Tom's Coffee-house, &c., are not necessary to be noticed. In calculating the number of volumes, I have considered one article, or lot, with the other, to comprehend three volumes. The result is as follows.

_Book-Sales by Messrs._ LEIGH _and_ SOTHEBY.

Volumes.

Rev. Edward Bowerbank's library. 2200 Earl of Halifax's 2000 Mr. John Voigt's 6000 Sutton Sharpe's, Esq. 4000 George Mason's, ditto 3800 Mr. Burdon's 14000 Charles Bedford's, Esq. 3500 Rev. Charles Bathurst's 3000 Sir John Sebright's, Bt. (duplicates). 3300 Bishop Horsley's 4400 Mr. E. Edward's 1100 Lieut. Col. Thos. Velley's 2200 _Four miscellaneous_ 6000 ------ 55,500

_Book-Sales by_ KING _and_ LOCHeE.

Volumes.

R. Foster's, Esq. library 5000 Dr. John Millar's 3500 Mr. C. Martin's 1000 Mr. Daniel Waldron's 1200 Rev. Thomas Towle's 3000 Mr. Brice Lambert's 2000 C. Dilly's 3000 Isaac Reed's 30000 _Six miscellaneous_ 8400 ------ 57,100

_Book-Sales by_ Mr. STEWART.

Mr. Law's library 4000 Lord Thurlow's 3000 Mr. William Bryant's 4500 Rev. W.W. Fitzthomas's 2000 Rev. John Brand's 17000 George Stubbs, Esq. 1800 _Three miscellaneous_ 4300 ------ 36,600

TOTAL

Sold by Messrs. Leigh and Sotheby 55500 Messrs. King and Lochee 57100 Mr. Stewart 36600 ------- 149,200

Such has been the circulation of books, within the foregoing period, by the hands of _three Auctioneers only_; and the prices which a great number of _useful_ articles brought is a sufficient demonstration that books are esteemed for their _intrinsic value_, as well as for the adventitious circumstances which render them _rare_ or _curious_. But prosterity [Transcriber's Note: posterity] are not to judge of the prevalence of knowledge in these times by the criterion of, what are technically called, _book-sales_ only. They should be told that, within the same twelve months, thousands and tens of thousands of books of all sorts have been circulated by the _London Booksellers_; and that, without travelling to know the number disposed of at Bristol, Liverpool, York, Manchester, or Exeter, it may be only necessary to state that _one distinguished House_ alone, established not quite a furlong from the railings of St. Paul's Cathedral, sold not far short of _two hundred thousand volumes_ within the foregoing period! If learning continue thus to thrive, and books to be considered as necessary furniture to an apartment; if wealthy merchants are resolved upon procuring Large Paper copies, as well as Indian spices and Russian furs; we may hail, in anticipation, that glorious period when the book-fairs of _Leipsic_ shall be forgotten in the superior splendour of those of _London_! But to return to our chronological order: The ensuing year, 1808, was distinguished for no small mischief excited in the bibliomaniacal world by the sales of many curious and detached libraries. The second part of Mr.

Brand's collection which was sold in the spring of this year, has been already noticed. The close of the year witnessed the sales, by auction, of the books of SAMUEL EWER, Esq. (retiring into the country), and of Mr. MACHEL STACE, bookseller. The former collection was very strong in bibliography; and the latter presented a singularly valuable 'Collection of rare and select' books, relating to old English Literature elegantly bound: containing 2607 articles. Mr. Stace had published, the preceding year, '_A Catalogue of curious and scarce Books and Tracts_:' which, with the preceding, merit a snug place upon the bibliographer's shelf. We now enter upon a more busy year of sales of books by auction. The Bibliomania had only increased by the preceding displays of precious and magnificent volumes. And first came on, in magnitude and inportance [Transcriber's Note: importance], the sales of ALEXANDER DALRYMPLE and PROFESSOR PORSON. Of these in turn.

_A Catalogue of the extensive and valuable Library of Books: Part I. Late the property of_ ALEX. DALRYMPLE, Esq. F.R.S., _deceased_. Hydrographer to the Board of Admiralty, and the Hon. East India Company, &c., sold by auction by King and Lochee, May 29, 1809, 8vo.--7190 articles: _A Catalogue, &c., Part II. of the same: sold by auction by the same_: Nov. 1809.--8897 articles. I should add that there is a stippled engraving of Dalrymple, with fac-simile of his hand-writing, which faces the title page to _Part First_ of this extraordinary and numerous collection; of books of Geography, Voyages, and Travels. I strongly recommend copies of these catalogues to be in every library of extent and utility. We are now to notice: _A Catalogue of Part of the Library of the late Richard Porson, A.M., Greek Professor of the University of Cambridge_, &c.: sold by auction by Leigh and Sotheby, June 16th, 1809, 8vo.--1391 articles: amount of the books, 1254_l._ 18_s._ 6_d._ The subjoined is rather a rich, though brief, specimen of some of the valuable books contained in the library of this profound Greek scholar; in whom the acuteness of Bentley, and the erudition of Hemsterhusius, were more than revived.

NO. 116. Biblia Graeca, et Novum Testamentum Graece, lectionibus D.J.J. Griesbach, 2 vols., boards, uncut, MS.

notes at the beginning of each vol. Hal. Sax. 1796-1806, 8vo. 8 15_s._ 0_d._

The notes amounted to the correction of 9 typographical errors and 1 addition to a note of Griesbach's, consisting of authorities he ought to have added.

182. Athenaeus, Gr. Lat., cum animadversionibus I. Casauboni, 2 vols., MS. notes, Lugduni, 1612, folio. 7 10 0

330. Chariton de Amor. Chaerae et Callirrhoe, Gr. Lat. cum animadversionibus, J.P. d'Orville--Amst. 1750, 4to. 2 5 0

Porson's note in the beginning. 'Opus plenum eruditionis, judicii et sagacitatis non item.'

559. Homeri Ilias et Odyssea (the Grenville edition) boards, uncut, with the original portrait. Oxoniae, 4to., _large paper_: 4 vols. 87 3 0

601. Eustathius in Homerum, 4 vols., morocco, gilt leaves, Par. 1550, fol. 55 0 0

1078. Shakspeare's (William) Plays by Johnson and Steevens, 15 vols., boards, uncut, 1793, 8vo. 12 15 0

Anecdotes and Memoirs of RICHARD PORSON are strewn, like spring flowers in an extensive pasture, in almost every newspaper, magazine, and journal. Among the latter, there is an interesting one by Dr. Adam Clarke in the _Classical Journal_, no. IV., p. 720. The _hand-writing_ of Porson is a theme of general admiration, and justly so; but his _Greek_ characters have always struck me as being more stiff and cramped than his Roman and Italic. I well remember when he shewed me, and expatiated eloquently upon, the famous MS.

of Plato, of the 10th century. Poor Fillingham was of the party. Little did I then expect that three years only would deprive the world of its great classical ornament, and myself of a well-informed and gentle-hearted friend! We will now close our account of the book-ravages in the year 1809, by noticing the dispersion of a few minor corps of bibliomaniacal troops, in the shape of printed volumes.

_Bibliotheca Maddisoniana: A Catalogue of the extensive and valuable library of the late_ JOHN MADDISON, _Esq., of the foreign department in the Post Office, &c._: sold by auction by King and Lochee, March, 1809, 8vo. A judicious and elegant collection. 5239 articles. II. _A Catalogue of a curious, valuable, and rare collection of Books in Typography, History, Voyages, Early English Poetvy [Transcriber's Note: Poetry], Romances, Classics_, &c.: the property of a Collector well known for his literary taste, &c. Sold by auction by Mr. Stewart, April, 1809, 8vo. Some curious volumes were in these 1858 articles or lots. III. _A Catalogue of the very valuable and elegant Library of_ EMPEROR JOHN ALEXANDER WOODFORD, Esq., sold by auction by Leigh and Sotheby, May, 1809, 8vo.--1773 articles. This was a sumptuous collection; and the books, in general, brought large prices, from being sharply contended for. IV. _A Catalogue of the interesting and curious historical and biographical part of the_ LIBRARY OF A GENTLEMAN, particularly interesting, during the reign of Elizabeth, the grand rebellion, the usurpation, restoration, and abdication, &c., sold by auction by Leigh and Sotheby, in May, 1809, 8vo. Only 806 articles; but a singularly curious and elegant collection; the catalogue of which I strongly recommend to all 'curious, prying, and inquisitive'

bibliomaniacs. The first half of the ensuing year, 1810, was yet more distinguished for the zeal and energy--shall I say MADNESS?--displayed at BOOK-AUCTIONS. The sale of Mr.

Gough's books excited an unusual ferment among English antiquaries: but the sale of a more extensive, and truly beautifully classical, collection in Pall Mall, excited still stronger sensations. As the _prices_ for some of the articles sold in the Gough collection have already been printed in the _Gentleman's Magazine_, vol. lxxx., pt. ii., and as those for which some of the _latter_ collection were sold, appeared in the 4th number of _The Classical Journal_, it only remains for me to subjoin the following account. I.

_A Catalogue of the entire and valuable Library (with the exception of the department of Topography, bequeathed to the Bodleian Library) of that eminent antiquary_, RICHARD GOUGH, Esq., deceased, &c., sold by auction by Leigh and Sotheby, April, 1810, 8vo.--4082 articles. The MANUSCRIPTS conclude the catalogue, at no. 4373. Prefixed to the printed books, there is an account of the collector, Mr. Gough, executed by the faithful pen of Mr. Nichols. My own humble opinion of this celebrated antiquary has already been before the public: _Typog. Antiquit._, vol. I., 21. II. _A Catalogue of books containing all the rare, useful, and valuable publications in every department of Literature, from the first invention of Printing to the present time, all of which are in the most perfect condition, &c._: sold by auction by Mr. Jeffery, May, 1810, 8vo.--4809 articles.

Another Catalogue of the same collection, elegantly printed in royal octavo, but omitting the auctioneer's notices of the relative value of certain editions, was published by Mr.

Constable of Edinburgh, bookseller: with the prices and purchasers' names subjoined: and of which it is said only 250 copies are printed. The REV. MR. HEATH is reported to have been the owner of this truly select and sumptuous classical library: the sale of which produced 9000_l._ Never did the bibliomaniac's eye alight upon 'sweeter copies'--as the phrase is; and never did the bibliomaniacal barometer rise higher than at this sale! The most marked phrensy characterized it. A copy of the Editio Princeps of Homer (by no means a first-rate one) brought 92_l._: and all the ALDINE CLASSICS produced such an electricity of sensation that buyers stuck at nothing to embrace them! Do not let it hence be said that _black-letter lore_ is the only fashionable pursuit of the present age of book-collectors.

This sale may be hailed as the omen of better and brighter prospects in Literature in general: and many a useful philological work, although printed in the Latin or Italian language--and which had been sleeping, unmolested, upon a bookseller's shelf these dozen years--will now start up from its slumber, and walk abroad in a new atmosphere, and be noticed and 'made much of.'

Here I terminate my _annotation labours_ relating to ANECDOTES OF BOOK-COLLECTORS, and ACCOUNTS OF BOOK-AUCTIONS.

Unless I am greatly deceived, these labours have not been thrown away. They may serve, as well to awaken curiosity in regard to yet further interesting memoranda respecting scholars, as to shew the progressive value of books, and the increase of the disease called the BIBLIOMANIA. Some of the most curious volumes in English literature have in these notes, been duly recorded; nor can I conclude such a laborious, though humble, task, without indulging a fond hope that this account will be consulted by all those who make book-collecting their amusement. But it is now time to rise up, with the company described in the text, and to put on my hat and great-coat. So I make my bow, wishing, with _L'Envoy_ at the close of MARMION,

To all, to each, a fair good night, And pleasing dreams, and slumbers light.]

LOREN. Do you mean to have it inferred that there were no collections, of value or importance, which were sold in the mean time?

LYSAND. I thank you for stopping me: for I am hoarse as well as stupid: I consider the foregoing only as the greater stars or constellations in the bibliographical hemisphere. Others were less observed from their supposed comparative insignificancy; although, if you had attended the auctions, you would have found in them many very useful, and even rare and splendid, productions. But we are all

'Tickled with the whistling of a name!'

LOREN. Ay, and naturally enough too. If I look at my Stubbes's _Anatomy of Abuses_, which has received _your abuse_ this evening, and fancy that the leaves have been turned over by the scientific hand of Pearson, Farmer, or Steevens, I experience, by association of ideas, a degree of happiness which I never could have enjoyed had I obtained the volume from an unknown collector's library.

LIS. Very true; and yet you have only Master Stubbes's work after all!

LOREN. Even so. But this _fictitious_ happiness, as you would call it, is, in effect, _real_ happiness; inasmuch as it produces positive sensations of delight.

LIS. Well, there is no arguing with such a bibliomaniac as yourself, Lorenzo.

BELIN. But allow, brother, that this degree of happiness, of which you boast, is not quite so exquisite as to justify the very high terms of purchase upon which it is often times procured.

LYSAND. There is no such thing as the 'golden mediocrity' of Horace in book pursuits. Certain men set their hearts upon certain copies, and '_cote qu'il cote_' they must secure them. Undoubtedly, I would give not a little for Parker's own copy of the Book of _Common Prayer_, and Shakspeare's own copy of both parts of his _Henry the Fourth_.

ALMAN. Well, Lisardo, we stand no chance of stemming the torrent against two such lusty and opiniated bibliomaniacs as my brother and Lysander: although I should speak with deference of, and acknowledge with grateful respect, the extraordinary exertions of the latter, this evening, to amuse and instruct us.