Chapter XXIII: Part V: =The Drawing Room.= (6)

Another character, with an equally bizarre name, is drawn
with the same vigour:

_Melixos_; such a starved one,
As he had nothing left but skin and bone.
The shady substance of a living man,
Or object of contempt wheree'er he came.
Yet had hee able parts, and could discourse,
Presse moving reasons, arguments enforce,
Expresse his readings with a comely grace,
And prove himselfe a _Consul_ in his place!

_Id._, p. 12.

We have a still more highly-coloured, and indeed a terrific,
as well as original, picture, in the following animated
verses:

Next him, _Uptoomos_; one more severe,
Ne'er purple wore in this inferiour sphere:
Rough and distastefull was his nature still,
His life unsociable, as was his will.
_Eris_ and _Enio_ his two pages were,
His traine stern _Apuneia_ us'd to beare.
Terrour and thunder echo'd from his tongue,
Though weake in judgment, in opinion strong.
A fiery inflammation seiz'd his eyes,
Which could not well be temper'd any wise:
For they were bloud-shot, and so prone to ill,
As basiliske-like, where'ere they look, they kill.
No laws but Draco's with his humour stood,
For they were writ in characters of bloud.
His stomacke was distemper'd in such sort
Nought would digest; nor could he relish sport.
His dreames were full of melancholy feare,
Bolts, halters, gibbets, halloo'd in his eare:
Fury fed nature with a little food,
Which, ill-concocted, did him lesser good,

_Id._, p. 16.

But it is time to pause upon Braithwait. Whoever does not
see, in these specimens, some of the most powerful rhyming
couplets of the early half of the seventeenth century, if
not the model of some of the verses in Dryden's satirical
pieces, has read both poets with ears differently
constructed from those of the author of this book.]

As I am permitted to be desultory in my remarks, (and, indeed, I craved this permission at the outset of them) I may here notice the publication of an excellent _Catalogue of Books_, in 1658, 4to.; which, like its predecessor, Maunsell's, helped to inflame the passions of purchasers, and to fill the coffers of booksellers. Whenever you can meet with this small volume, purchase it, Lisardo; if it be only for the sake of reading the spirited introduction prefixed to it.[355] The author was a man, whoever he may chance to be, of no mean intellectual powers. But to return.

[Footnote 355: This volume, which has been rather fully
described by me in the edition of More's _Utopia_, vol. ii.,
p. 260, 284--where some specimens of the "Introduction," so
strongly recommended by Lysander, will be found--is also
noticed in the _Athenæum_, vol. ii., 601; where there is an
excellent analysis of its contents. Here, let me subjoin
only one short specimen: In praise of learning, it is said:
"Wise and learned men are the surest stakes in the hedge of
a nation or city: they are the best conservators of our
liberties: the hinges on which the welfare, peace, and
happiness, hang; the best public good, and only
commonwealth's men. These lucubrations, meeting with a true
and brave mind, can conquer men; and, with the basilisk,
kill envy with a look." Sign. E. 4. rect.]

Where sleep now the relics of DYSON'S Library, which supplied that _Helluo Librorum_, Richard Smith, with "most of his rarities?"[356] I would give something pretty considerable to have a correct list--but more to have an unmolested sight--of this library, in its original state: if it were merely to be convinced whether or not it contained a copy of the _first edition of Shakespeare_, of larger dimensions, and in cleaner condition, than the one in PHILANDER'S Collection!

[Footnote 356: "H. DYSON (says Hearne) a person of a very
strange, prying, and inquisitive genius, in the matter of
books, as may appear from many libraries; there being books,
chiefly in old English, almost in every library, that have
belonged to him, with his name upon them." _Peter Langtoft's
Chronicles_, vol. i., p. xiii. This intelligence Hearne
gleaned from his friend Mr. T. Baker. We are referred by the
former to the _Bibl. R. Smith_, p. 371, alias 401, No.
115, to an article, which confirms what is said of Smith's
"collecting most of his rarities out of the library of H.
Dyson." The article is thus described in Bibl. Smith,
_ibid._; "115 Six several catalogues of all such books,
touching the state ecclesiastical as temporal of the realm
of England, which were published upon several occasions, in
the reigns of K. Henry the viith and viiith, Philip and
Mary, Q. Elizabeth, K. James, and Charles I., collected by
Mr. H. Dyson: out of whose library was gathered, by Mr.
Smith, a great part of the rarities of this catalogue." A
catalogue of the books sold in the reign of Hen. VII. would
be invaluable to a bibliographer! Let me add, for the sake
of pleasing, or rather, perhaps, tantalising my good friend
Mr. Haleswood, that this article is immediately under one
which describes "_An Ancient MS. of Hunting_, IN VELLUM
(wanting something) _quarto_." I hear him exclaim--"Where is
this treasure now to be found?" Perhaps, upon the cover of a
book of Devotion!]

I have incidentally mentioned the name of RICHARD SMITH.[357] Such a bibliomaniac deserves ample notice, and the warmest commendation. Ah, my Lisardo! had you lived in the latter days of Charles II.--had you, by accident, fallen into the society of this indefatigable book-forager, while he pursued his book-rounds in _Little Britain_--could you have listened to his instructive conversation, and returned home with him to the congenial quiet and avocations of his book-room--would you, however caressed St. James's, or even smiled upon by the first Duchess in the land--have cared a rush for the splendours of a Court, or concentrated your best comforts in a coach drawn by six cream-coloured horses? Would you not, on the contrary, have thought with this illustrious bibliomaniac, and with the sages of Greece and Rome before him, that "in books is wisdom, and in wisdom is happiness."

[Footnote 357: From the address To the Reader, prefixed to
the Catalogue of RICHARD SMITH'S books, which was put forth
by Chiswel the bookseller, in May 1682, 4to.--the
bibliomaniac is presented with the following interesting but
cramply written, particulars relating to the owner of them:
"Though it be needless to recommend what to all intelligent
persons sufficiently commend itself, yet, perhaps, it may
not be unacceptable to the ingenious to have some short
account concerning _This so much celebrated, so often
desired, so long expected, Library_, now exposed to sale.
The gentleman that collected it was a person infinitely
curious and inquisitive after books; and who suffered
nothing considerable to escape him, that fell within the
compass of his learning; for he had not the vanity of
desiring to be master of more than he knew how to use. He
lived to a very great age, and spent a good part of it
almost entirely in the search of books. Being as constantly
known every day to walk his rounds through the shops as he
sat down to meals, where his great skill and experience
enabled him to make choice of what was not obvious to every
vulgar eye. He lived in times which ministered peculiar
opportunities of meeting with books that are not every day
brought into publick light; and few eminent libraries were
bought where he had not the liberty to pick and choose. And
while others were forming arms, and new-modelling kingdoms,
_his_ great ambition was to become master of a good BOOK.
Hence arose, as that vast number of his books, so the
choiceness and rarity of the greatest part of them; and that
of all kinds, and in all sorts of learning," &c. "Nor was
the owner of them a meer idle possessor of so great a
treasure: for as he generally _collated_ his books upon the
buying of them (upon which account the buyer may rest pretty
secure of their being perfect) so he did not barely turn
over the leaves, but observed the defects of impressions,
and the ill arts used by many; compared the differences of
editions; concerning which, and the like cases, he has
entered memorable, and very useful, remarks upon very many
of the books under his own hand: Observations wherein,
certainly, never man was more diligent and industrious. Thus
much was thought fit to be communicated to publick notice,
by a gentleman who was intimately acquainted both with Mr.
Smith and his books. _This excellent library will be exposed
by auction, and the sale will begin on Monday the 15th day
of May next, at the auction house, known by the name of_ THE
SWAN, _in Great St. Bartholomew's Close, and there continue,
day by day, the five first days of every week, till all the
books be sold._" In this catalogue of Richard Smith's books,
the sharp-eyed bibliomaniac will discover twelve volumes
printed by CAXTON; which collectively, produced only the sum
of 3_l._ 7_s._ 5_d._ The price of each of these volumes has
been already given to the public (_Typog. Antiq._, vol i.,
p. cxxxii.) I suppose a thousand guineas would _now_ barely
secure perfect copies of them! The catalogue itself is most
barbarously printed, and the arrangement and description of
the volumes such as to damn the compiler "to everlasting
fame." A number of the most curious, rare, and intrinsically
valuable books--the very insertion of which in a
bookseller's catalogue would probably now make a hundred
bibliomaniacs start from their homes by star-light, in order
to come in for the _first pickings_--a number of volumes of
this description are huddled together in one lot, and all
these classed under the provoking running title of "_Bundles
of Books_," or "_Bundles of sticht Books_!" But it is time
to bid adieu to this matchless collection. Leaving the
virtuoso "to toil, from rise to set of sun" after W.
Sherwin's "extra rare and fine" portrait of the collector,
which will cost him hard upon ten pounds (see _Sir William
Musgrave's Catalogue of English Portraits_, p. 92, no.
82), and to seize, if it be in his power, a copy of the
catalogue itself, "with the prices and purchasers' names"
(vide _Bibl. Lort._, no. 1354). I proceed to attend upon
Lysander: not, however, without informing him that Strype
(_Life of Cranmer_, p. 368), as well as Hearne (_Liber Niger
Scaccarii_, vol. ii., p. 542), has condescended to notice
the famous library of this famous collector of books,
RICHARD SMITH!]

LIS. In truth I should have done even more than what your barren imagination has here depicted. Smith's figure, his address, his conversation, his library--

LOREN. Enough--peace! There is no end to Lisardo's _fruitful_ imagination. We are surfeited with the richness of it. Go on, dear Lysander; but first, satisfy a desire which I just now feel to be informed of the period when _Sales of Books, by Auction_, were introduced into this country.

LYSAND. You take _that_ for granted which remains [Transcriber's Note: missing 'to' in original] be _proved_: namely, my ability to gratify you in this particular. Of the precise period when this memorable revolution in the sale of books took place I have no means of being accurately informed: but I should think not anterior to the year 1673, or 1674; for, in the year 1676, to the best of my recollection, the catalogue of the Library of Dr. SEAMAN was put forth; to which is prefixed an address to the reader, wherein the custom of selling books by auction is mentioned as having been but of recent origin in our country.[358] It was, however, no sooner introduced than it caught the attention, and pleased the palates, of bibliomaniacs exceedingly: and Clavel, a bookseller, who published useful catalogues of books to be sold in his own warehouse, retorted in sharp terms upon the folly and extravagance which were exhibited at book auctions. However, neither Clavel nor his successors, from that period to the present, have been able to set this custom aside, nor to cool the fury of book-auction bibliomaniacs--who, to their eternal shame be it said, will sometimes, from the hot and hasty passions which are stirred up by the poisonous miasmata floating in the auction-room, give a sum twice or thrice beyond the real value of the books bidden for! Indeed, I am frequently amused to see the vehemence and rapture with which a dirty little volume is contended for and embraced--while a respectable bookseller, like PORTIUS, coolly observes across the table--"I have a better copy on sale at one third of the price!"

[Footnote 358: A part of the address "To the Reader," in the
catalogue above-mentioned by Lysander, being somewhat of a
curiosity, is here reprinted in its unadulterated
[Transcriber's Note: remainder of sentence missing in
original]

"Reader,

"It hath not been usual here in England to make _Sale of
Books by way of Auction or who will give most for them_: But
it having been practised in other countreys to the advantage
both of buyers and sellers, it was therefore conceived (for
the encouragement of learning) to publish the sale of these
books this manner of way; and it is hoped that this will not
be unacceptable to schollers: and therefore, methought it
convenient to give an advertisement concerning the manner of
proceeding therein. _First_, That having this catalogue of
the books, and their editions, under their several heads and
numbers, it will be more easie for any person of quality,
gentleman, or others, to depute any one to buy such books
for them as they shall desire, if their occasions will not
permit them to be present at the auction themselves." The
_second_ clause is the usual one about _differences_
arising. The _third_, about discovering the imperfections of
the copies before they are taken away. The _fourth_, that
the buyers are to pay for their purchases within one month
after the termination of the auction. The _fifth_, that the
sale is to begin "punctually at 9 o'clock in the morning,
and two in the afternoon; and this to continue daily until
all the books be sold; wherefore it is desired that the
gentlemen, or those deputed by them, may be there precisely
at the hours appointed, lest they should miss the
opportunity of buying those books which either themselves or
their friends desire." As this is the earliest auction
catalogue which I have chanced to meet with, the _present_
reader may probably be pleased with the following specimens,
selected almost at random of the prices which were given for
books at a public sale, in the year 1676.

_In Folio._ PHILOLOGISTS.

_s._ _d._

Pet. Heylyn's Cosmographie, Lond. 1652. 14 0
Io. Stow's Annals, or Chronicles of England,
&c. ibid., 1631. 15 0
Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy, Oxon, 1638. 6 0
Geo. Withers, his Emblems; illustrated with brass
figures, 1635. 8 6
Os. Gabelhower's book called the Dutch Physic,
Dort, 1579. 3 0

p. 12.

_In Quarto._ PHILOLOGIE.

The Royal Passage of her Majesty, from the }
tower to Whitehall, Lond., 1604. }
The Vision of the Goddesses, a mask by the }
Queen and her Ladies, 1604. }
King James his Entertainment through the city }
of London, ibid. }
A particular Entertainment of the Queen and }
Prince, 1608. }
The magnificent Entertainment of King James, }
Queen Anne, and Prince Henry Frederick, 1604. }
Her Majesties speech to both Houses of }
Parliament, 1604. } _s._ _d._
Vox Coeli, or News from Heaven, 1624. } 5 0
An experimental Discovery of the Spanish }
Practises, 1623. }
Tho. Scotts aphorisms of State, or secret }
articles for the re-edifying the Romish }
Church, 1624. }
The Tongue Combat between two English }
Souldiers, 1621. }
Votivæ Angliæ, or the Desires and Wishes of }
England, 1624. }
A book of Fishing, with hook and line, and }
other instruments, 1600. }

p. 63.

Now a-days, the last article alone would pr duce
[Transcriber's Note: produce]--shall I say _nine_ times the
sum of the whole? But once more:

_In Octavo._ PHILOLOGISTS.

Rob. Crowley's Confutation and Answer to a }
wicked ballade of the abuse of the }
sacrament of the altar, 1548. }
Philargyne, or Covetousness of Great Britain, }
1551. }
A Confutation of 13 articles of Nicol Sharton's, }
1551. }
The Voice of the last Trumpet, blown by the }
seventh angel, 1550. } _s._ _d._
Rob. Crowley's four last things. } 3 2
A petition against the oppressors of the poor }
of this realm, 1550. }
A supplication of the poor Commons, 1550. }
Piers Plowman Exhortation to the Parliament, }
and a New-Year's gift, 1550. }
The Hurt of Sedition to the Commonwealth, 1549. }

To continue the _History of Book Auctions_, a little
further. Two years after the preceding sale, namely, in
1678, were sold the collections of Dr. MANTON, Dr. WORSLEY,
and others. In the address to the Reader, prefixed to
Manton's catalogue, it would seem that this was the
"_fourth_ triall" of this mode of sale in our own country.
The conditions and time of sale the same as the preceding;
and because one Briggs, and not one Cooper, drew up the
same, Cooper craves the reader's "excuse for the mistakes
that have happened; and desires that the saddle may be laid
upon the right horse." In this collection there is a more
plentiful sprinkling of English books; among which,
Dugdale's Warwickshire, 1656, was sold for 1_l._ 6_s._; and
Fuller's Worthies for the same sum. The "Collections of
Pamphlets, bound together in Quarto," were immense. Dr.
Worsley's collection, with two others, was sold two months
afterwards; namely, in May, 1678: and from the address "To
the Reader," it would appear that Dr. Manton's books brought
such high prices as to excite the envy of the trade.
Worsley's collection was sold at 9 and 2, the usual hours
"at the house over against the hen and chickens, in
Pater-Noster Row." The venders thus justify themselves at
the close of their address: "We have only this to add in
behalf of ourselves; that, forasmuch as a report has been
spread that we intend to use indirect means to advance the
prices, we do affirm that it is a groundless and malicious
suggestion of some of our own trade, envious of our
undertaking: and that, to avoid all manner of suspicion of
such practice, we have absolutely refused all manner of
commissions that have been offered us for buying (some of
them without limitation): and do declare that the company
shall have nothing but candid and ingenuous dealing from

JOHN DUNMORE.
RICHARD CHISWEL."

At this sale, the Shakspeare of 1632 brought 16_s._; and of
1663, 1_l._ 8_s._

In the November and December of the same year were sold by
auction the books of VOET, SANGAR, and others, and from the
preface to each catalogue it would seem that the sale of
books by auction was then but a recent, yet a very
successful, experiment; and that even collections from
abroad were imported, in order to be disposed of in a like
manner.]

LIS. From what you say, it would appear to be wiser to lay out one's money at a bookseller's than at a book-auction?

LYSAND. Both methods must of necessity be resorted to: for you cannot find with the one what you may obtain at the other. A distinguished collector, such as the late Mr. Reed, or Mr. Gough, or Mr. Joseph Windham, dies, and leaves his library to be sold by auction for the benefit of his survivors. Now, in this library so bequeathed, you have the fruits of book-labour, collected for a long period, and cultivated in almost every department of literature. A thousand radii are concentrated in such a circle; for it has, probably, been the object of the collector's life to gather and to concentrate these radii. In this case, therefore, you must attend the auction; you must see how such a treasure is scattered, like the Sibylline leaves, by the winds of fate. You must catch at what you want, and for what you have been a dozen years, perhaps, in the pursuit of. You will pay dearly for these favourite volumes; but you have them, and that is comfort enough; and you exclaim, as a consolation amidst all the agony and waste of time which such a contest may have cost you,--"Where, at what bookseller's, are such gems now to be procured?" All this may be well enough. But if I were again to have, as I have already had, the power of directing the taste and applying the wealth of a young collector--who, on coming of age, wisely considers books of at least as much consequence as a stud of horses--I would say, go to Mr. Payne, or Mr. Evans, or Mr. Mackinlay, or Mr. Lunn, for your Greek and Latin Classics; to Mr. Dulau, or Mr. Deboffe, for your French; to Mr. Carpenter, or Mr. Cuthell, for your English; and to Mr. White for your Botany and rare and curious books of almost every description. Or, if you want delicious copies, in lovely binding, of works of a sumptuous character, go and drink coffee with Mr. Miller, of Albemarle Street--under the warm light of an Argand lamp--amidst a blaze of morocco and russia coating, which brings to your recollection the view of the Temple of the Sun in the play of Pizarro! You will also find, in the vender of these volumes, courteous treatment and "gentlemanly notions of men and things." Again, if you wish to speculate deeply in books, or to stock a newly-discovered province with what is most excellent and popular in our own language, hire a vessel of 300 tons' burthen, and make a contract with Messrs. Longman, Hurst, and Co., who are enabled, from their store of _quires_, which measure 50 feet in height, by 40 in length, and 20 in width, to satisfy all the wants of the most craving bibliomaniacs. In opposition to this pyramid, enter the closet of Mr. Triphook, jun., of St. James's Street--and resist, if it be in your power to resist, the purchase of those clean copies, so prettily bound, of some of our rarest pieces of black-letter renown!

LOREN. From this digression, oblige us now by returning to our bibliomaniacal history.

LYSAND. Most willingly. But I am very glad you have given me an opportunity of speaking, as I ought to speak, of some of our most respectable booksellers, who are an ornament to the cause of THE BIBLIOMANIA.

We left off, I think, with noticing that renowned book-collector, Richard Smith. Let me next make honourable mention of a "_par nobile fratrum_" that ycleped are NORTH. The "Lives" of these men, with an "Examen" (of "Kennet's History of England"), were published by a relative (I think a grandson) of the same name; and two very amusing and valuable quarto volumes they are! From one of these Lives, we learn how pleasantly the LORD KEEPER used to make his meals upon some one entertaining Law-volume or another: how he would breakfast upon _Stamford_,[359] dine upon _Coke_, and sup upon _Fitzherbert_, &c.; and, in truth, a most insatiable book appetite did this eminent judge possess. For, not satisfied ("and no marvel, I trow") with the foregoing lean fare, he would oftentimes regale himself with a well-served-up course of the _Arts_, _Sciences_, and the _Belles-Lettres_!

[Footnote 359: These are the words of LORD KEEPER NORTH'S
Biographer: "There are of Law-Books, institutions of various
sorts, and reports of cases (now) almost innumerable. The
latter bear most the controversial law, and are read as
authority such as may be quoted: and I may say the gross of
law lecture lies in them. But to spend weeks and months
wholly in them, is like horses in a string before a loaden
waggon. They are indeed a careful sort of reading, and
chiefly require common-placing, and that makes the work go
on slowly. His LORDSHIP therefore used to mix some
institutionary reading with them, as after a fulness of the
reports in a morning, about noon, to take a repast in
_Stamford_, _Compton_, or the Lord _Coke's_ Pleas of the
Crown and Jurisdiction of Courts, _Manwood_ of the Forest
Law, _Fitzherbert's_ Natura Brevium; and also to look over
some of the Antiquarian Books, as _Britton_, _Bracton_,
_Fleta_, _Fortescue_, _Hengham_, _the old Tenures
Narrationes Novæ_, the old _Natura Brevium_, and the
Diversity of Courts. These, at times, for change and
refreshment, being books all fit to be known. And those
that, as to authority, are obsoleted, go rounder off-hand,
because they require little common-placing, and that only as
to matter very singular and remarkable, and such as the
student fancies he shall desire afterwards to recover. And,
besides all this, the day afforded him room for a little
History, especially of England, modern books, and
Controversy in Print, &c. In this manner he ordered his own
studies, but with excursions into _Humanity_ and _Arts_,
beyond what may be suitable to the genius of every young
student in the law." _Life of Lord Keeper Guildford_, pp.
18, 19. _North's Lives_, edit. 1754, 4to.]

His brother, Dr. JOHN NORTH, was a still greater _Helluo Librorum_; "his soul being never so staked down as in an old bookseller's shop." Not content with a superficial survey of whatever he inspected, he seems to have been as intimately acquainted with all the book-selling fraternity of _Little-Britain_ as was his contemporary, Richard Smith; and to have entered into a conspiracy with ROBERT SCOTT[360]--the most renowned book vender in this country, if not in Europe--to deprive all bibliomaniacs of a chance of procuring rare and curious volumes, by sweeping every thing that came to market, in the shape of a book, into their own curiously-wrought and widely-spread nets. Nay, even Scott himself was sometimes bereft of all power, by means of the potent talisman which this learned Doctor exercised--for the latter, "at one lift," would now and then sweep a whole range of shelves in Scott's shop of every volume which it contained. And yet how whimsical, and, in my humble opinion, ill-founded, was Dr. North's taste in matters of typography! Would you believe it, Lisardo, he preferred the meagre classical volumes, printed by the _Gryphii_, in the italic letter, to the delicate and eye-soothing lustre of the _Elzevir_ type--?

[Footnote 360: "Now he began to look after books, and to lay
the foundation of a competent library. He dealt with Mr.
ROBERT SCOTT, of _Little-Britain_, whose sister was his
grandmother's woman; and, upon that acquaintance he
expected, and really had from him, useful information of
books and their editions. This Mr. Scott was, in his time,
the greatest librarian in Europe; for, besides his stock in
England, he had warehouses in Francfort, Paris, and other
places, and dealt by factors. After he was grown old, and
much worn by multiplicity of business, he began to think of
his ease and to leave off. Whereupon he contracted with one
Mills, of St. Paul's Church-yard, near £10,000 deep, and
articled not to open his shop any more. But Mills, with his
auctioneering, Atlasses, and projects, failed, whereby poor
Scott lost above half his means: but he held to his contract
of not opening his shop, and when he was in London (for he
had a country house), passed most of his time at his house
amongst the rest of his books; and his reading (for he was
no mean scholar) was the chief entertainment of his time. He
was not only an expert bookseller, but a very conscientious
good man; and when he threw up his trade, Europe had no
small loss of him. Our Doctor, at one lift, bought of him a
whole set of Greek Classics in folio, of the best editions.
This sunk his stock at that time; but afterwards, for many
years of his life, all that he could (as they say) rap or
run, went the same way. But the progress was small; for such
a library as he desired, compared with what the pittance of
his stock would purchase, allowing many years to the
gathering, was of desperate expectation. He was early
sensible of a great disadvantage to him in his studies, by
the not having a good library in his reach; and he used to
say that a man could not be a scholar at the second-hand:
meaning, that learning is to be had from the original
authors, and not from any quotations, or accounts in other
books, for men gather with divers views, and, according to
their several capacities, often perfunctorily, and almost
always imperfectly: and through such slight reading, a
student may know somewhat, but not judge of either author or
subject. He used to say _an old author could not be
unprofitable_; for although in their proper time they had
little or no esteem, yet, in after times, they served to
interpret words, customs, and other matters, found obscure
in other books; of which A. Gellius is an apt instance. He
courted, as a fond lover, all _best editions, fairest
character, best bound and preserved_. If the subject was in
his favour (as the Classics) he cared not how many of them
he had, even of the same edition, if he thought it among the
best, either _better bound_, _squarer cut_, _neater covers_,
or some such qualification caught him. He delighted in the
small editions of the Classics, by Seb. Gryphius; and divers
of his acquaintance, meeting with any of them, bought and
brought them to him, which he accepted as choice presents,
although perhaps he had one or two of them before. He said
that the _black italic_ character agreed with his eye sight
(which he accounted but weak) better than any other print,
the old Elzevir not excepted, whereof the characters seemed
to him more blind and confused than those of the other.
Continual use gives men a judgment of things comparatively,
and they come to fix on that as most proper and easy which
no man, upon cursory view, would determine. _His soul was
never so staked down as in an old bookseller's shop_; for
having (as the statutes of the college required) taken
orders, he was restless till he had compassed some of that
sort of furniture as he thought necessary for his
profession. He was, for the most part, his own factor, and
seldom or never bought by commission; which made him lose
time in turning over vast numbers of books, and he was very
hardly pleased at last. I have borne him company at shops
for hours together, and, minding him of the time, he hath
made a dozen proffers before he would quit. By this care and
industry, at length, he made himself master of a very
considerable library, wherein the choicest collection was
_Greek_." There is some smartness in the foregoing
observations. The following, in a strain of equal interest,
affords a lively picture of the _bookselling trade_ at the
close of the 17th century: "It may not be amiss to step a
little aside, to reflect on the vast change in the trade of
books, between that time and ours. Then, _Little-Britain_
was a plentiful and perpetual emporium of learned authors;
and men went thither as to a market. This drew to the place
a mighty trade; the rather because the shops were spacious,
and the learned gladly resorted to them, where they seldom
failed to meet with agreeable conversation. And the
booksellers themselves were knowing and conversible men,
with whom, for the sake of bookish knowledge, the greatest
wits were pleased to converse. And we may judge the time as
well spent there, as (in latter days) either in tavern or
coffee-house: though the latter hath carried off the spare
hours of most people. But now this emporium is vanished, and
trade contracted into the hands of two or three persons,
who, to make good their monopoly, ransack, not only their
neighbours of the trade that are scattered about town, but
all over England, aye, and beyond sea too, and send abroad
their circulators, and, in that manner, get into their hands
all that is valuable. The rest of the trade are content to
take their refuse, with which, and the fresh scum of the
press, they furnish one side of a shop, which serves for the
sign of a bookseller, rather than a real one; but, instead
of selling, dealing as factors, and procure what the country
divines and gentry send for; of whom each hath his book
factor, and, when wanting any thing, writes to his
bookseller, and pays his bill. And it is wretched to
consider what pickpocket work, with help of the press, these
demi-booksellers make. They crack their brains to find out
selling subjects, and keep hirelings in garrets, at hard
meat, to write and correct by the great (qu. groat); and so
puff up an octavo to a sufficient thickness, and there's six
shillings current for an hour and a half's reading, and
perhaps never to be read or looked upon after. One that
would go higher must take his fortune at blank walls, and
corners of streets, or repair to the sign of Bateman, Innys,
and one or two more, where are best choice and better
pennyworth's. I might touch other abuses, as bad paper,
incorrect printing, and false advertising; all which, and
worse, is to be expected, if a careful author is not at the
heels of them." Life of the Hon. and Rev. Dr. John North.
_North's Lives_, edit. 1744, 4to., p. 240, &c. At page 244,
there is a curious account of the doctor's amusing himself
with keeping spiders in a glass case--feeding them with
bread and flies--and seeing these spiders afterwards quarrel
with, and destroy, each other--"parents and offspring!"]

LIS. "_De gustibus_--" you know the rest. But these Norths were brave bibliomaniacs! Proceed, we are now advancing towards the threshold of the eighteenth century; and the nearer you come to it, the greater is the interest excited.

LYSAND. Take care that I don't conclude with the memorable catalogue-burning deed of your father! But I spare your present feelings.

All hail to the noble book-spirit by which the _Lives of Oxford-Athenians_, and the _Antiquities of Oxford University_, are recorded and preserved beyond the power of decay![361] All hail to thee, OLD ANTHONY A-WOOD! May the remembrance of thy researches, amidst thy paper and parchment documents, stored up in chests, pews, and desks, and upon which, alas! the moth was "feeding sweetly," may the remembrance of these thy laborious researches always excite sensations of gratitude towards the spirit by which they were directed! Now I see thee, in imagination, with thy cautious step, and head bowing from premature decay, and solemn air, and sombre visage, with cane under the arm, pacing from library to library, through gothic quadrangles; or sauntering along the Isis, in thy way to some neighbouring village, where thou wouldst recreate thyself with "pipe and pot." Yes, Anthony! while the _Bodleian_ and _Ashmolean_ collections remain--or rather as long as Englishmen know how to value that species of literature by which the names and actions of their forefathers are handed down to posterity, so long shall the memory of thy laudable exertions continue unimpaired!

[Footnote 361: The name and literary labours of ANTHONY WOOD
are now held in general, and deservedly high, respect: and
it is somewhat amusing, though not a little degrading to
human nature, to reflect upon the celebrity of that man who,
when living, seems to have been ridiculed by the proud and
flippant, and hated by the ignorant and prejudiced, part of
his academical associates. The eccentricities of Wood were
considered heretical; and his whims were stigmatized as
vices. The common herd of observers was unable to discover,
beneath his strange garb, and coarse exterior, all that
acuteness of observation, and retentiveness of memory, as
well as inflexible integrity, which marked the intellectual
character of this wonderful man. But there is no necessity
to detain and tantalize the reader by this formal train of
reasoning, when a few leading features of Wood's person,
manners, and habits of study, &c., have been thus pleasingly
described to us by Hearne, in the life of him prefixed to
the genuine edition of the _History and Antiquities (or
Annals) of the University of Oxford_. "He was equally
regardless of envy or fame, out of his great love to truth,
and therefore 'twas no wonder he took such a liberty of
speech, as most other authors, out of prudence, cunning, or
design, have usually declined. And indeed, as to his
language, he used such words as were suitable to his
profession. It is impossible to think that men, who always
converse with old authors, should not learn the dialect of
their acquaintance--an antiquary retains an old word, with
as much religion as an old relick. And further, since our
author was ignorant of the rules of conversation, it is no
wonder he uses so many severe reflections, and adds so many
minute passages of men's lives. I have been told that it was
usual with him, for the most part, to rise about four
o'clock in the morning, and to eat hardly any thing till
night; when, after supper, he would go into some by-alehouse
in town, or else to one in some village near, and there by
himself take his _pipe and pot_," &c. "But so it is that,
notwithstanding our author's great merits, he was but little
regarded in the University, being observed to be more
clownish than courteous, and always to go in an old
antiquated dress. Indeed he was a mere scholar, and
consequently must expect, from the greatest number of men,
disrespect; but this notwithstanding, he was always a true
lover of his mother, the University, and did more for her
than others care to do that have received so liberally from
her towards their maintenance, and have had greater
advantages of doing good than he had. Yea, his affection was
not at all alienated, notwithstanding his being so hardly
dealt with as to be expelled; which would have broken the
hearts of some. But our author was of a most noble spirit,
and little regarded whatever afflictions he lay under,
whilst he was conscious to himself of doing nothing but what
he could answer. At length after he had, by continual
drudging, worn out his body, he left this world contentedly,
by a stoppage of his urine, anno domini 1695, and was buried
in the east corner of the north side of St. John's Church,
adjoyning to Merton College, and in the wall is a small
monument fixed, with these words:

H.S.E.
ANTONIUS WOOD, ANTIQUARIUS.
_ob. 28 Nov._ AO. 1695, æt. 64."

In his person, he was of a large robust make, tall and thin,
and had a sedate and thoughtful look, almost bordering upon
a melancholy cast. Mr. Hearne says, in his _Collectanea
MSS._, that though he was but sixty-four years of age when
he died, he appeared to be above fourscore; that he used
spectacles long before he had occasion for them, that he
stooped much when he walked, and generally carried his stick
under his arm, seldom holding it in his hand. As to the
manner of his life, it was solitary and ascetic. The
character which Gassendus gives of Peireskius, may, with
propriety, be used as descriptive of Mr. Wood's. "As to the
care of his person, cleanliness was his chief object, he
desiring no superfluity or costliness, either in his habit
or food. His house was furnished in the same manner as his
table; and as to the ornament of his private apartment, he
was quite indifferent. Instead of hangings, his chamber was
furnished with the prints of his particular friends, and
other men of note, with vast numbers of commentaries,
transcripts, letters, and papers of various kinds. His bed
was of the most ordinary sort; his table loaded with papers,
schedules, and other things, as was also every chair in the
room. He was a man of strict sobriety, and by no means
delicate in the choice of what he eat. Always restrained by
temperance, he never permitted the sweet allurements of
luxury to overcome his prudence." Such, as is here
represented, was the disposition of Mr. WOOD: of so retired
a nature as seldom to desire or admit a companion at his
walks or meals; so that he is said to have dined alone in
his chamber for thirty years together. Mr. Hearne says that
it was his custom to "go to the booksellers at those hours
when the greater part of the University were at their
dinners," &c. And at five leaves further, in a note, we find
that, "when he was consulting materials for his _Athenæ
Oxon._, he would frequently go to the booksellers, and
generally give money to them, purposely to obtain titles of
books from them; and 'twas observed of him that he spared no
charges to make that work as compleat and perfect as
possible." _Hearne's Coll. MSS. in Bodl. Lib._, vol. ix., p.
185. The following letter, describing Wood's last illness,
and the disposition of his literary property, is
sufficiently interesting to be here, in part, laid before
the reader: it was written by Mr. (afterwards Bishop) Tanner
to Dr. Charlett.

"Honoured Master,

Yesterday, at dinner-time, Mr. Wood sent for me; when I
came, I found Mr. Martin and Mr. Bisse of Wadham (college)
with him, who had (with much ado) prevailed upon him to set
about looking over his papers, so to work we went, and
continued tumbling and separating some of his MSS. till it
was dark. We also worked upon him so far as to sign and
declare that sheet of paper, which he had drawn up the day
before, and called it _his will_; for fear he should not
live till night. He had a very bad night of it last night,
being much troubled with vomiting. This morning we three
were with him again, and Mr. Martin bringing with him the
form of a will, that had been drawn up by Judge Holloway, we
writ his will over again, as near as we could, in form of
law. He has given to the University, to be reposited in the
_Museum Ashmol._, all his MSS., not only those of his own
collection, but also all others which he has in his
possession, except some few of Dr. Langbain's Miscellanea,
which he is willing should go to the public library. He has
also given all his printed books and pamphlets to the said
musæum which are not there already. This benefaction will
not, perhaps, be so much valued by the University as it
ought to be, because it comes from Anthony Wood; but truly
it is a most noble gift, his collection of MSS. being
invaluable, and his printed books, most of them, not to be
found in town," &c. This letter is followed by other
accounts yet more minute and touching, of the last mortal
moments of poor old Anthony! It now remains to say a few
words about his literary labours. A short history of the
editions of the _Athenæ Oxonienses_ (vide p. 45, ante) has
already been communicated to the reader. We may here observe
that his _Antiquities of the University_ shared a similar
fate; being garbled in a Latin translation of them, which
was put forth under the auspices of Bishop Fell: 1676, fol.,
in 2 vols. Wood's own MS. was written in the English
language, and lay neglected till towards the end of the 18th
century, when the Rev. Mr. Gutch conferred a real benefit
upon all the dutiful sons of ALMA MATER, by publishing the
legitimate text of their venerable and upright historian;
under the title of _The History and Antiquities of the
Colleges and Halls_, 1786, 4to., with a supplemental volume
by way of _Appendix_, 1790, 4to., containing copious indexes
to the two. Then followed the Annals of the University at
large, viz. _The History and Antiquities of the University
of Oxford_; 1792, 4to., in two volumes; the latter being
divided into _two_ parts, or volumes, with copious indexes.
These works, which are now getting scarce, should be in
every philological, as well as topographical, collection. In
order to compensate the reader for the trouble of wading
through the preceding tremendous note, I here present him
with a wood-cut facsimile of a copper-plate print of Wood's
portrait, which is prefixed to his Life, 1772, 8vo. If he
wishes for more curious particulars respecting Wood's
literary labours, let him take a peep into _Thomæ Caii
Vindic. Antiq. Acad. Oxon._: 1730, 8vo., vol. i., pp. xl.
xliii. _Edit. Hearne._ Wood's study, in the Ashmolean
museum, is yet to be seen. It is filled with curious books,
which, however, have not hitherto been catalogued with
accuracy. Ritson has availed himself, more successfully than
any antiquary in poetry, of the book treasures in this
museum.

]

A very few years after the death of this distinguished character, died Dr. FRANCIS BERNARD;[362] a stoic in bibliography. Neither beautiful binding, nor amplitude of margin, ever delighted his eye or rejoiced his heart: for he was a stiff, hard, and straight-forward reader--and learned, in Literary History, beyond all his contemporaries. His collection was copious and excellent; and although the compiler of the catalogue of his books sneers at any one's having "an entire collection in physic," (by the bye, I should have told you that Bernard was a _Doctor of Medicine_,) yet, if I forget not, there are nearly 150 pages in this said catalogue which are thickly studded with "_Libri Medici_," from the folio to the duodecimo size. Many very curious books are afterwards subjoined; and some precious _bijous_, in English Literature, close the rear. Let Bernard be numbered among the most learned and eminent bibliomaniacs.

[Footnote 362: I do not know that I could produce a better
recipe for the cure of those who are affected with the worst
symptoms of the BOOK-MANIA, in the _present day_, than by
shewing them how the same symptoms, upwards of a _century
ago_, were treated with ridicule and contempt by a collector
of very distinguished fame, both on account of his literary
talents and extensive library. The following copious extract
is curious on many accounts; and I do heartily wish that
foppish and tasteless collectors would give it a very
serious perusal. At the same time, all collectors possessed
of common sense and liberal sentiment will be pleased to see
their own portraits so faithfully drawn therein. It is taken
from the prefatory address,

"TO THE READER.

The character of the person whose collection this was, is so
well known, that there is no occasion to say much of him,
nor to any man of judgment that inspects the catalogue of
the collection itself. Something, however, it becomes us to
say of both; and this I think may with truth and modesty
enough be said, that as few men knew books, and that part of
learning which is called _Historia Litteraria_, better than
himself, so there never yet appeared in England so choice
and valuable a catalogue to be thus disposed of as this
before us: more especially of that sort of books which are
out of the common course, which a man may make the business
of his life to collect, and at last not to be able to
accomplish. A considerable part of them being so little
known, even to many of the learned buyers, that we have
reason to apprehend this misfortune to attend the sale, that
there will not be competitors enough to raise them up to
their just and real value. Certain it is this library
contains not a few which never appeared in any auction here
before; nor indeed, as I have heard him say, for ought he
knew, (and he knew as well as any man living) _in any
printed catalogue in the world_."--"We must confess that,
being a person who collected his books for use, and not for
ostentation or ornament, he seemed no more solicitous about
_their_ dress than _his own_; and therefore you'll find that
a _gilt back_, or a _large margin_, was very seldom any
inducement to him to buy. 'Twas sufficient that he had the
book." "Though considering that he was so unhappy as to want
heirs capable of making that use of them which he had done,
and that therefore they were to be dispersed after this
manner; I have heard him condemn his own negligence in that
particular; observing, that the garniture of a book was as
apt to recommend it to a great part of our _modern
collectors_ (whose learning goes not beyond the edition, the
title-page, and the printer's name) as the intrinsic value
could. But that he himself was not a mere nomenclator, and
versed only in title-pages, but had made that just and
laudable use of his books which would become all those that
set up for collectors, I appeal to the Literati of his
acquaintance, who conversed most frequently with him; how
full, how ready, and how exact he was in answering any
question that was proposed to him relating to learned men,
or their writings; making no secret of any thing that he
knew, or any thing that he had; being naturally one of the
most communicative men living, both of his knowledge and his
books."--"And give me leave to say this of him, upon my own
knowledge; that he never grudged his money in procuring, nor
his time or labour in perusing, any book which he thought
could be any ways instructive to him, and having the
felicity of a memory always faithful, always officious,
which never forsook him, though attacked by frequent and
severe sickness, and by the worst of diseases, old age, his
desire of knowledge attended him to the last; and he pursued
his studies with equal vigour and application to the very
extremity of his life." It remains to add a part of the
title of the catalogue of the collection of this
extraordinary bibilomaniac [Transcriber's Note:
bibliomaniac]: "_A Catalogue of the Library of the late
learned_ DR. FRANCIS BERNARD, _Fellow of the College of
Physicians, and Physician to St. Bartholomew's Hospital,
&c._," 1698, 8vo. The English books are comprised in 1241
articles; and, among them, the keen investigator of ancient
catalogues will discover some prime rarities.]

Having at length reached the threshold, let us knock at the door, of the eighteenth century. What gracious figures are those which approach to salute us? They are the forms of BISHOPS FELL and MORE:[363] prelates, distinguished for their never ceasing admiration of valuable and curious works. The former is better known as an editor; the latter, as a collector--and a collector, too, of such multifarious knowledge, of such vivid and just perceptions, and unabating activity--that while he may be hailed as the _Father of_ =black-letter= _Collectors_ in this country, he reminds us of his present successor in the same see; who is not less enamoured of rare and magnificent volumes, but of a different description, and whose library assumes a grander cast of character.