Chapter II

I survey the Ground before I start--I contemplate a New
British Bibliography--Richard Heber--His Extraordinary
Acquirements--His Vast Library--His Manuscript Notes in the
Books--A High Estimate of Heber as a Scholar and a Reader--
He eclipses all Other Collectors at Home and Abroad--A
Sample or so of His Flyleaf Memoranda--A Few very
Interesting Books noticed--A _Historiette_--Anecdotes of
Some Bargains and Discoveries by Him and His
Contemporaries--The _Phoenix Nest_ at Sion College--
Marlowe's _Dido_--Mystery connected with the Library at Lee
Priory--The Oldest Collections of English Plays--A Little
Note about Lovelace--Heber's Generosity as a Lender--His
Kindness to Dyce--Fate of His Rarest Books--How He obtained
some of Them--The Daniel Ballads and Their True History--
Result of a Study of _Heber's Catalogue_ and other Sources
of Knowledge--The _Handbook_ appears--Mr Frederick Harrison
and Sir Walter Besant pay Me Compliments, 19