As those authors report, which chiefly wrote Thomas Becket's

life--whose names are Herbert Boseham, John Salisbury,

William of Canterbury, Alen of Tewkesbury, Benet of

Peterborough, Stephen Langton, and Richard Croyland--he

bestoyed his youth in all kinds of lascivious lightness, and

lecherous wantonness. After certain robberies, rapes, and

murders, committed in the king's wars at the siege of

Toulouse in Languedoc, and in other places else, as he was

come home again into England, he gave himself to great

study, not of the holy scriptures, but of the bishop of

Rome's lousy laws, whereby he first of all obtained to be

archdeacon of Canterbury, under Theobald the archbishop;

then high chancellor of England; metropolitan, archbishop,

primate; pope of England, and great legate from antichrist's

own right side. In the time of his high-chancellorship,

being but an ale-brewer's son of London, John Capgrave saith

that he took upon him as he had been a prince. He played the

courtier altogether, and fashioned himself wholly to the

king's delights. He ruffled it out in the whole cloth with a

mighty rabble of disguised ruffians at his tail. He sought

the worldly honour with him that sought it most. He thought

it a pleasant thing to have the flattering praises of the

multitude. His bridle was of silver, his saddle of velvet,

his stirrups, spurs, and bosses double gilt; his expenses

far passing the expenses of an earl. That delight was not on

the earth that he had not plenty of. He fed with the

fattest, was clad with the softest, and kept company with

the plesantest. Was not this (think you) a good mean to live

chaste? I trow it was. _Englyshe Votaryes_, pt. ii., sign.

P. vi. rect. Printed by Tisdale, 8vo. The orthography is

modernized, but the words are faithfully _Balëan_! Thus

writes Tyndale: and the king made him (Becket) his

chancellor, in which office he passed the pomp and pride of

Thomas (Wolsey) cardinal, as far as the ones shrine passeth

the others tomb in glory and riches. And after that, he was

a man of war, and captain of five or six thousand men in

full harness, as bright as St. George, and his spear in his

hand; and encountered whatsoever came against him, and

overthrew the jollyest rutter that was in the host of

France. And out of the field, hot from bloodshedding, was he

made bishop of Canterbury; and did put off his helm, and put

on his mitre; put off his harness, and on with his robes;

and laid down his spear, and took his cross ere his hands

were cold; and so came, with a lusty courage of a man of

war, to fight an other while against his prince for the

pope; when his prince's cause were with the law of God, and

the pope's clean contrary. _Practise of Popish Prelates._

_Tyndale's Works_, edit. 1572, p. 361. The curious

bibliographer, or collector of ancient books of biography,

will find a very different character of Becket in a scarce

Latin life of him, printed at Paris in the black letter, in

the fifteenth century. His archiepiscopal table is described

as being distinguished for great temperance and propriety:

"In ejus mensa non audiebantur tibicines non cornicines, non

lira, non fiala, non karola: nulla quidem præterquam mundam

splendidam et inundantem epularum opulentiam. Nulla gule,

nulla lascivie, nulla penitus luxurie, videbantur

incitamenta. Revera inter tot et tantas delicias quæ ei

apponebantur, in nullo penitus sardanapalum sed solum

episcopum sapiebat," &c. _Vita et processus sancti Thome

Cantuariensis martyris super libertate ecclesiastica_;

Paris, 1495, sign. b. ij. rect. From a yet earlier, and

perhaps the first printed, mention of Becket--and from a

volume of which no perfect copy has yet been found--the

reader is presented with a very curious account of the

murder of the Archbishop, in its original dress. "Than were

there iiij. cursed knyghtes of leuyng yt thoughte to haue

had a grete thanke of the kyng and mad her a vowe to gedir

to sle thomas. And so on childremasse day all moste at

nyghte they come to caunterbury into thomas hall Sire

Reynolde beriston, Sire william tracy, Sire Richard breton,

and sire hewe morley. Thanne Sire Reynolde beriston for he

was bitter of kynde a none he seyde to thomas the king that

is be yonde the see sente us to the and bad that thou

shuldst asoyle the bishoppe that thou cursiddiste than seyde

thomas seris they be not acursed by me but by the Pope and I

may not asoyle that he hathe cursid well seyde Reynolde than

we see thou wolte not do the kynges byddynge and swore a

grete othe by the eyon of God thou shalt be dede. than cryde

the othir knyghtes sle sle and they wente downe to the

courte and armyd hem. Than prestis and clerkis drowe hem to

the church to thomas and spered the dores to hem. But whan

thomas herde the knyghtes armed and wold come into the

churche and myghte not he wente to the dore and un barred it

and toke one of the knyghtes by the honde and seyde hit be

semyth not to make a castell of holy churche, and toke hem

by the honde and seyde come ynne my children in goddis name

Thanne for it was myrke that they myghte not see nor knowe

thomas they seyde where is the traytour nay seyde thomas no

traytour but Archebishoppe. Than one seyde to hym fle fore

thou arte but dede. Nay seyde thomas y come not to fle but

to a byde Ego pro deo mori paratus sum et pro defensione

iusticie et ecclesie libertate I am redy to dye for the loue

of God and for the fredomme and righte of holy churche Than

reynold with his swerdes poynte put off thomas cappe and

smote at his hede and cutte of his crowne that it honge by

like a dysche Than smote anothir at him and smote hit all of

than fill he downe to the grounde on his knees and elbowes

and seyde god into thy hondes I putte my cause and the

righte of holy churche and so deyde Than the iij knyghte

smote and his halfe stroke fell upon his clerkis arme that

helde thomas cross be fore him and so his swerde fill down

to the grounde and brake of the poynte and he seyde go we

hens he is dede. And when they were all at the dore goyng

robert broke wente a geyne and sette his fote to thomas

necke and thruste out the brayne upon the pauement Thus for

righte of holoye churche and the lawe of the londe thomas

toke his dethe." _The boke that is callid Festiuall_; 1486,

fol. sign. m. iij. These anecdotes, which are not to be

found in Lyttleton or Berrington, may probably be gratifying

to the curious.]

Although I wish to be as laconic as possible in my _Catalogue

Raisonné_ of libraries and of book-collectors, during the earlier

periods of our history, yet I must beg to remind you that some of the

nunneries and monasteries, about these times, contained rather

valuable collections of books: and indeed those of Glasgow,

Peterborough, and Glastonbury,[254] deserve to be particularly noticed

and commended. But I will push on with the personal history of

literature, or rather of the BIBLIOMANIA.

[Footnote 254: "I shall retire back to _Godstowe_, and, for

the farther reputation of the nunns there, shall observe

that they spent a great part of their time in reading good

books. There was a common library for their use well

furnished with books, many of which were English, and divers

of them historical. The lives of the holy men and women,

especially of the latter, were curiously written ON VELLUM,

and many ILLUMINATIONS appeared throughout, so as to draw

the nunns the more easily to follow their examples."

Hearne's edit. _Guil. Neubrig._, vol. ii., p. 768. Again he

says, "It is probable they (certain sentences) were written

in large letters, equal to the writing that we have in the

finest books of offices, the best of which were for the use

of the nunns, and for persons of distinction, and such as

had weak eyes; and many of them were finely covered, not

unlike the Kiver for the Gospell book, given to the chapell

of Glastonbury by king Ina." p. 773. Can the enlightened

reader want further proof of the existence of the

BIBLIOMANIA in the nunnery of Godstow? As to _Peterborough_

abbey, Gunston, in his history of the same place, has copied

the catalogue of the different libraries belonging to the

abbots. Benedict, who became abbot in 1177, had a collection

of no less than _fifty-seven_ volumes. But alas! the book

reputation of this monastery soon fell away: for master

Robert, who died abbot in 1222, left but _seven_ books

behind him; and Geoffrey de Croyland, who was abbot in 1290,

had only that dreary old gentleman, _Avicenna_, to keep him

company! At its dissolution, however, it contained 1700

volumes in MSS. _Gunton's Peterborough_, p. 173.

_Glastonbury_ seems to have long maintained its reputation

for a fine library; and even as late as the year 1248 it

could boast of several classical authors, although the

English books were only four in number; the rest being

considered as "vetustas et inutilia." The classical authors

were Livy, Sallust, Tully, Seneca, Virgil, and Persius. See

_Joh. Confrat. Glaston._, vol. ii., p. 423, 435: Hearne's

edit. "Leland," says Warton, "who visited all the

monasteries just before their dissolution, seems to have

been struck with the venerable air and amplitude of this

library." _Hist. Engl. Poetry_, Diss. ii.]

I should be wanting in proper respect to the gentlemanly and

scholar-like editor of his works, if I omitted the mention of that

celebrated tourist and topographer, GIRALD BARRI, or Giraldus

Cambrensis; whose Irish and Welch itinerary has been recently so

beautifully and successfully put forth in our own language.[255]

Giraldus, long before and after he was bishop of St. David's, seems

to have had the most enthusiastic admiration of British antiquities;

and I confess it would have been among the keenest delights of my

existence (had I lived at the period) to have been among his auditors

when he read aloud (perhaps from a stone pulpit) his three books of

the Topography of Ireland.[256] How many choice volumes, written and

emblazoned upon snow-white vellum, and containing many a curious and

precious genealogy, must this observing traveller and curious

investigator have examined, when he was making the tour of Ireland in

the suite of Prince, afterwards King, John! Judge of the anxiety of

certain antiquated families, especially of the Welch nation, which

stimulated them to open their choicest treasures, in the book way, to

gratify the genealogical ardour of our tourist!

[Footnote 255: There is a supplemental volume to the two

English ones, containing the only complete Latin edition

extant of the Welsh Itinerary. Of this impression there are

but 200 copies printed on small, and 50 on large, paper. The

whole work is most creditably executed, and does great

honour to the taste and erudition of its editor, Sir Richard

Colt Hoare, bart.]

[Footnote 256: "Having finished his topography of Ireland,

which consisted of three books, he published it at Oxford,

A.D. 1187, in the following manner, in three days. On the

first day he read the first book to a great concourse of

people, and afterwards entertained all the poor of the town.

On the second day he read the second book, and entertained

all the Doctors and chief scholars: and on the third day he

read the third book, and entertained the younger scholars,

soldiers, and burgesses."--"A most glorious spectacle (says

he), which revived the ancient times of the poets, and of

which no example had been seen in England." This is given by

Dr. Henry (b. iii., ch. 4, § 2), on the authority of

Giraldus's own book, _De rebus a se gestis_, lib. i. c. 16.

Twyne, in his arid little quarto Latin volume of the

_Antiquities of Oxford_, says not a word about it; and, what

is more extraordinary, it is barely alluded to by Antony

Wood! See Mr. Gutch's genuine edition of Wood's _Annals of

the University of Oxford_, vol. i., pp. 60, 166. Warton, in

his _History of English Poetry_, vol. i., Diss. ii., notices

Giraldus's work with his usual taste and interest.]

LIS. I wish from my heart that Girald Barri had been somewhat more

communicative on this head!

LOREN. Of what do you suppose he would have informed us, had he

indulged this bibliographical gossipping?

LIS. Of many a grand and many a curious volume.

LYSAND. Not exactly so, Lisardo. The art of book-illumination in this

country was then sufficiently barbarous, if at all known.

LIS. And yet I'll lay a vellum Aldus that Henry the second presented

his fair Rosamond with some choice _Heures de Notre Dame_! But

proceed. I beg pardon for this interruption.

LYSAND. Nay, there is nothing to solicit pardon for! We have each a

right, around this hospitable table, to indulge our book whims: and

mine may be as fantastical as any.

LOREN. Pray proceed, Lysander, in your book-collecting history! unless

you will permit me to make a pause or interruption of two minutes--by

proposing as a sentiment--"SUCCESS TO THE BIBLIOMANIA!"

PHIL. 'Tis well observed: and as every loyal subject at our great

taverns drinks the health of his Sovereign "with three times three

up-standing," even so let us hail this sentiment of Lorenzo!

LIS. Philemon has cheated me of an eloquent speech. But let us receive

the sentiment as he proposes it.

LOREN. Now the uproar of Bacchus has subsided, the instructive

conversation of Minerva may follow. Go on, Lysander.

LYSAND. Having endeavoured to do justice to Girald Barri, I know of no

other particularly distinguished bibliomaniac till we approach the æra

of the incomparable ROGER, or FRIAR, BACON. I say incomparable,

Lorenzo; because he was, in truth, a constellation of the very first

splendour and magnitude in the dark times in which he lived; and

notwithstanding a sagacious writer (if my memory be not treacherous)

of the name of Coxe, chooses to tell us that he was "miserably starved

to death, because he could not introduce a piece of roast beef into

his stomach, on account of having made a league with Satan to eat only

cheese;"[257]--yet I suspect that the end of Bacon was hastened by

other means more disgraceful to the age and equally painful to

himself.

[Footnote 257: "_A short treatise declaringe the detestable

wickednesse of magicall sciences, as necromancie,

coniuration of spirites, curiouse astrologie, and suche

lyke, made by_ FRANCIS COXE." Printed by Allde, 12mo.,

without date (14 leaves). From this curious little volume,

which is superficially noticed by Herbert (vol. ii., p.

889), the reader is presented with the following extract,

appertaining to the above subject: "I myself (says the

author) knew a priest not far from a town called

Bridgewater, which, as it is well known in the country, was

a great magician in all his life time. After he once began

these practices, he would never eat bread, but, instead

thereof, did always eat _cheese_: which thing, as he

confessed divers times, he did because it was so concluded

betwixt him and the spirit which served him," &c. sign. A

viii. rect. "(R.) Bacon's end was much after _the like

sort_; for having a greedy desire unto meat, he could cause

nothing to enter the stomach--wherefore thus miserably he

starved to death." Sign. B. iij. rev. Not having at hand

John Dee's book of the defence of Roger Bacon, from the

charge of astrology and magic (the want of which one laments

as pathetically as did Naudé, in his "_Apologie pour tous

les grands personnages, &c., faussement soupçonnez de

Magic_," Haye, 1653, 8vo., p. 488), I am at a loss to say

the fine things, which Dee must have said, in commendation

of the extraordinary talents of ROGER BACON; who was

miserably matched in the age in which he lived; but who,

together with his great patron GROSTESTE, will shine forth

as beacons to futurity. Dr. Friend in his _History of

Physic_ has enumerated what he conceived to be Bacon's

leading works; while Gower in his _Confessio Amantis_

(Caxton's edit., fol. 70), has mentioned the brazen head--

=for to telle

Of such thyngs as befelle:=

which was the joint manufactory of the patron and his èleve.

As lately as the year 1666, Bacon's life formed the subject

of a "famous history," from which Walter Scott has given us

a facetious anecdote in the seventh volume (p. 10) of

_Dryden's Works_. But the curious investigator of ancient

times, and the genuine lover of British biography, will

seize upon the more prominent features in the life of this

renowned philosopher; will reckon up his great discoveries

in optics and physics; and will fancy, upon looking at the

above picture of his study, that an explosion from

gun-powder (of which our philosopher has been thought the

inventor) has protruded the palings which are leaning

against its sides. Bacon's "_Opus Majus_," which happened to

meet the eyes of Pope Clement IV., and which _now_ would

have encircled the neck of its author with an hundred golden

chains, and procured for him a diploma from every learned

society in Europe--just served to liberate him from his

first long imprisonment. This was succeeded by a subsequent

confinement of twelve years; from which he was released only

time enough to breathe his last in the pure air of heaven.

Whether he expended 3000, or 30,000 pounds of our present

money, upon his experiments, can now be only matter of

conjecture. Those who are dissatisfied with the meagre

manner in which our early biographers have noticed the

labours of Roger Bacon, and with the _tetragonistical_

story, said by Twyne to be propagated by our philosopher, of

Julius Cæsar's seeing the whole of the British coast and

encampment upon the Gallic shore, "maximorum ope speculorum"

(_Antiquit. Acad. Oxon. Apolog._ 1608, 4to., p. 353), may be

pleased with the facetious story told of him by Wood

(_Annals of Oxford_, vol. i., 216, Gutch's edit.) and yet

more by the minute catalogue of his works noticed by Bishop

Tanner (_Bibl. Brit. Hibern._ p. 62): while the following

eulogy of old Tom Fuller cannot fail to find a passage to

every heart: "For mine own part (says this delightful and

original writer) I behold the name of Bacon in Oxford, not

as of an individual man, but corporation of men; no single

cord, but a twisted cable of many together. And as all the

acts of strong men of that nature are attributed to an

Hercules; all the predictions of prophecying women to a

Sibyll; so I conceive all the achievements of the Oxonian

Bacons, in their liberal studies, are ascribed to ONE, as

chief of the name." _Church History_, book iii., p. 96.]

[Illustration]

Only let us imagine we see this sharp-eyed philosopher at work in his

study, of which yonder print is generally received as a

representation! How heedlessly did he hear the murmuring of the stream

beneath, and of the winds without--immersed in the vellum and

parchment rolls of theological, astrological, and mathematical lore,

which, upon the dispersion of the libraries of the Jews,[258] he was

constantly perusing, and of which so large a share had fallen to his

own lot!

[Footnote 258: Warton, in his second Dissertation, says that

"great multitudes of their (the Jews) books fell into the

hands of Roger Bacon;" and refers to Wood's _Hist. et

Antiquit. Univ. Oxon._, vol. i., 77, 132--where I find

rather a slight notification of it--but, in the genuine

edition of this latter work, published by Mr. Gutch, vol.

i., p. 329, it is said: "At their (the Jews) expulsion,

divers of their tenements that were forfeited to the king,

came into the hands of William Burnell, Provost of Wells;

and _their books_ (for many of them were learned) to divers

of our scholars; among whom, as is verily supposed, ROGER

BACON was one: and that he furnished himself with such

Hebrew rarities, that he could not elsewhere find. Also

that, when he died, he left them to the Franciscan library

at Oxon, which, being not well understood in after-times,

were condemned to moths and dust!" Weep, weep, kind-hearted

bibliomaniac, when thou thinkest upon the fate of these poor

Hebrew MSS.!]

Unfortunately, my friends, little is known with certainty, though much

is vaguely conjectured, of the labours of this great man. Some of the

first scholars and authors of our own and of other countries have been

proud to celebrate his praises; nor would it be considered a disgrace

by the most eminent of modern experimental philosophers--of him, who

has been described as "unlocking the hidden treasures of nature, and

explaining the various systems by which air, and earth, and fire, and

water, counteract and sustain each other"[259]--to fix the laureate

crown round the brows of our venerable Bacon!

[Footnote 259: See a periodical paper, entitled _The

Director_! vol. ii., p. 294.]

We have now reached the close of the thirteenth century and the reign

of EDWARD THE FIRST;[260] when the principal thing that strikes us,

connected with the history of libraries, is this monarch's insatiable

lust of strengthening his title to the kingdom of Scotland by

purchasing "the libraries of all the monasteries" for the securing of

any record which might corroborate the same. What he gave for this

tremendous book-purchase, or of what nature were the volumes

purchased, or what was their subsequent destination, is a knot yet

remaining to be untied.

[Footnote 260: "King Edward the first caused and committed

divers copies of the records, and much concerning the realm

of Scotland, unto divers abbies for the preservance thereof;

which for the most part are now perished, or rare to be had;

and which privilie by the dissolution of monasteries is

detained. The same king caused the libraries of all

monasteries, and other places of the realm, to be purchased,

for the further and manifest declaration of his title, as

chief Lord of Scotland: and the record thereof now extant,

doth alledge divers leger books of abbeys for the

confirmation thereof": Petition (to Q. Elizabeth) for an

academy of Antiquities and History. _Hearne's Curious

Discourses written by eminent Antiquaries_; vol. ii., 326,

edit. 1775.]

Of the bibliomaniacal propensity of Edward's grandson, the great

EDWARD THE THIRD, there can be no question. Indeed, I could gossip

away upon the same 'till midnight. His severe disappointment upon

having Froissart's presentation copy of his Chronicles[261]

(gergeously [Transcriber's Note: gorgeously] attired as it must have

been) taken from him by the Duke of Anjou, is alone a sufficient

demonstration of his love of books; while his patronage of Chaucer

shews that he had accurate notions of intellectual excellence.

Printing had not yet begun to give any hint, however faint, of its

wonderful powers; and scriveners or book-copiers were sufficiently

ignorant and careless.[262]

[Footnote 261: Whether this presentation copy ever came,

eventually, into the kingdom, is unknown. Mr. Johnes, who is

as intimate with Froissart as Gough was with Camden, is

unable to make up his mind upon the subject; but we may

suppose it was properly emblazoned, &c. The duke detained it

as being the property of an enemy to France!--Now, when we

read of this wonderfully chivalrous age, so glowingly

described by the great Gaston, Count de Foix, to Master

Froissart, upon their introduction to each other (vide St.

Palaye's memoir in the 10th vol. of _L'Acadamie des

Inscriptions_, &c.), it does seem a gross violation (at

least on the part of the Monsieur of France!) of all

gentlemanly and knight-like feeling, to seize upon a volume

of this nature, as legitimate plunder! The robber should

have had his skin tanned, after death, for a case to keep

the book in! Of Edward the Third's love of curiously bound

books, see p. 118, ante.]

[Footnote 262: "How ordinary a fault this was (of

'negligently or willfully altering copies') amongst the

transcribers of former times, may appear by Chaucer; who (I

am confident) tooke as greate care as any man to be served

with the best and heedfullest scribes, and yet we finde him

complayning against Adam, his scrivener, for the very same:

So ofte a daye I mote thy worke renew,

If to correct and eke to rubbe and scrape,

And all is thorow thy neglegence and rape."

Ashmole _Theatrum Chemicum_; p. 439.]

The mention of Edward the Third, as a patron of learned men, must

necessarily lead a book-antiquary to the notice of his eminent

chancellor, RICHARD DE BURY; of whom, as you may recollect, some

slight mention was made the day before yesterday.[263] It is hardly

possible to conceive a more active and enthusiastic lover of books

than was this extraordinary character; the passion never deserting him

even while he sat upon the bench.[264] It was probably De Bury's

intention to make his royal master eclipse his contemporary CHARLES

THE VTH, of France--the most renowned foreign bibliomaniac of his

age![265] In truth, my dear friends, what can be more delightful to a

lover of his country's intellectual reputation than to find such a

character as De Bury, in such an age of war and bloodshed, uniting the

calm and mild character of a legislator, with the sagacity of a

philosopher, and the elegant-mindedness of a scholar! Foreigners have

been profuse in their commendations of him, and with the greatest

justice; while our Thomas Warton, of ever-to-be-respected memory, has

shewn us how pleasingly he could descend from the graver tone of a

historical antiquary, by indulging himself in a chit-chat style of

book-anecdote respecting this illustrious character.[266]

[Footnote 263: See p. 29, ante.]

[Footnote 264: "--patescebat nobis aditus facilis, regalis

favoris intuitu, ad librorum latebras libere perscrutandas.

Amoris quippe nostri fama volatilis jam ubique percrebuit,

tamtumque librorum, et maxime veterum, ferebamur cupiditate

languescere; posse vero quemlibet, nostrum _per quaternos_

facilius, quam _per pecuniam_, adipisci favorem."

_Philobiblion; sive de Amore Librorum_ (vide p. 29, ante),

p. 29: edit. 1599, 4to. But let the reader indulge me with

another extract or two, containing evidence [Transcriber's

Note: 'of' missing in original] the most unquestionable of

the severest symptoms of the BIBLIOMANIA that ever assailed

a Lord Chancellor or a Bishop!--Magliabechi must have read

the ensuing passage with rapture: "Quamobrem cum prædicti

principis recolendæ memoriæ bonitate suffulti, possemus

obesse et prodesse, officere et proficere vehementer tam

maioribus quam pusillis; affluxerunt, loco xeniorum et

munerum, locoque, donorum et iocalium, temulenti quaterni,

ac decripiti codices; nostris tamen tam affectibus, quam

aspectibus, pretiosi. Tunc nobilissimorum monasteriorum

aperiebantur armaria, referebantur scrinia, et cistulæ

solvebantur, et per longa secula in sepulchris soporata

volumina, expergiscunt attonita, quæque in locis tenebrosis

latuerant, novæ lucis radiis perfunduntur." "Delicatissimi

quondam libri, corrupti et abhominabiles iam effecti, murium

fætibus cooperti, et vermium morsibus terebrati, iacebant

exanimes--et qui olim purpura vestiebantur et bysso, nunc in

cinere et cilicio recubantes, oblivioni traditi videbantur,

domicilia tinearum. Inter hæc nihilominus, captatis

temporibus, magis voluptuose consedimus, quam fecisset

Medicus delicatus inter aromatum apothecas, ubi amoris

nostri objectum reperimus et fomentum; sic sacra vasa

scientiæ, ad nostræ dispensationis provenerunt arbitrium:

quædam data, quædam vendita, ac nonnulla protempore

commodata. Nimirum cum nos plerique de hujusmodi donariis

cernerent contentatos, ea sponte nostris usibus studuerent

tribuere, quibus ipsi libentius caruerunt: quorum tamen

negotia sic expedire curavimus gratiosi, ut et eisdem

emolumentum accresceret, nullum tamen iustitia detrimentum

sentiret." "Porro si scyphos aureos et argenteos, si equos

egregios, si nummorum summas non modicas amassemus tunc

temporis, dives nobis ærarium instaurasse possemus: sed

revera LIBROS NON LIBRAS maluimus, codicesque plusquam

florenos, ac panfletos exiguos incrassatis prætulimus

palfridis," _Philobiblion_; p. 29, 30, &c. Dr. James's

preface to this book, which will be noticed in its proper

place, in another work, is the veriest piece of old

maidenish particularity that ever was exhibited! However,

the editor's enthusiastic admiration of De Bury obtains his

forgiveness in the bosom of every honest bibliomaniac!]

[Footnote 265: CHARLES THE FIFTH, of France, may be called

the founder of the Royal Library there. The history of his

first efforts to erect a national library is thus, in part,

related by the compilers of _Cat. de la Bibliothéque

Royale_, pt. i., p. ij.-iij.: "This wise king took advantage

of the peace which then obtained, in order to cultivate

letters more successfully than had hitherto been done. He

was learned for his age; and never did a prince love reading

and book-collecting better than did he! He was not only

constantly making transcripts himself, but the noblemen,

courtiers, and officers that surrounded him voluntarily

tendered their services in the like cause; while, on the

other hand, a number of learned men, seduced by his liberal

rewards, spared nothing to add to his literary treasures.

Charles now determined to give his subjects every possible

advantage from this accumulation of books; and, with this

view, he lodged them in one of the _Towers of the Louvre_;

which tower was hence called _La Tour de la Librarie_. The

books occupied three stories: in the first, were desposited

269 volumes; in the second 260; and in the third, 381

volumes. In order to preserve them with the utmost care (say

Sauval and Felibien), the king caused all the windows of the

library to be fortified with iron bars; between which was

painted glass, secured by brass-wires. And that the books

might be accessible at all hours, there were suspended, from

the ceiling, thirty chandeliers and a silver lamp, which

burnt all night long. The walls were wainscotted with Irish

wood; and the ceiling was covered with cypress wood: the

whole being curiously sculptured in bas-relief." Whoever has

not this catalogue at hand (vide p. 93, ante) to make

himself master of still further curious particulars relating

to this library, may examine the first and second volume of

_L'Academie des Inscriptions_, &c.--from which the preceding

account is taken. The reader may also look into Warton

(Diss. 11, vol. i., sign. f. 2); who adds, on the authority

of Boivin's _Mem. Lit._, tom. ii., p. 747, that the Duke of

Bedford, regent of France, "in the year 1425 (when the

English became masters of Paris) sent his whole library,

then consisting of only 853 volumes, and valued at 2223

livres, into England," &c. I have little doubt but that

Richard De Bury had a glimpse of this infantine royal

collection, from the following passage--which occurs

immediately after an account of his ambassadorial

excursion--"O beate Deus Deorum in Syon, quantus impetus

fluminis voluptatis lætificavit cor nostrum, quoties

Paradisum mundi _Parisios_ visitare vacavimus ibi moraturi?

Ubi nobis semper dies pauci, præ amoris magnitudine,

videbantur. Ibi Bibliothecæ jucundæ super sellas aromatum

redolentes; ibi virens viridarium universorum voluminum,"

&c. _Philobiblion_; p. 31, edit. 1559.]

[Footnote 266: After having intruded, I fear, by the

preceding note respecting _French Bibliomania_, there is

only room left to say of our DE BURY--that he was the friend

and correspondent of Petrarch--and that Mons. Sade, in his

_Memoirs of Petrarch_, tells us that "the former did in

England, what the latter all his life was doing in France,

Italy, and Germany, towards the discovery of the best

ancient writers, and making copies of them under his own

superintendence." De Bury bequeathed a valuable library of

MSS. to Durham, now Trinity College, Oxford. The books of

this library were first packed up in chests; but upon the

completion of the room to receive them, "they were put into

pews or studies, and chained to them." Wood's _History of

the University of Oxford_, vol. ii., p. 911. Gutch's edit.

De Bury's _Philobiblion_, from which so much has been

extracted, is said by Morhof to "savor somewhat of the

rudeness of the age, but is rather elegantly written; and

many things are well expressed in it relating to

bibliothecism." _Polyhist. Literar._, vol. i., 187. The real

author is supposed to have been Robert Holcott, a Dominican

friar. I am, however, loth to suppress a part of what Warton

has so pleasantly written (as above alluded to by Lysander)

respecting such a favourite as DE BURY. "Richard de Bury,

otherwise called Richard Aungervylle, is said to have alone

possessed more books than all the bishops of England

together. Beside the fixed libraries which he had formed in

his several palaces, the floor of his common apartment was

so covered with books that those who entered could not with

due reverence approach his presence. He kept binders,

illuminators, and writers, in his palaces. Petrarch says

that he had once a conversation with him, concerning the

island called by the ancients Thule; calling him 'virum

ardentis ingenii.' While chancellor and treasurer, instead

of the usual presents and new-year's gifts appendant to his

office, he chose to receive those perquisites in books. By

the favour of Edward III. he gained access to the libraries

of most of the capital monasteries; where he shook off the

dust from volumes, preserved in chests and presses, which

had not been opened for many ages." _Philobiblion_, cap. 29,

30.--Warton also quotes, in English, a part of what had been

already presented to the reader in its original Latin form.

_Hist. Engl. Poetry_, vol. i., Diss. II., note g., sign. h.

4. Prettily painted as is this picture, by Warton, the

colouring might have been somewhat heightened, and the

effect rendered still more striking, in consequence, if the

authority and the words of Godwyn had been a little attended

to. In this latter's _Catalogue of the Bishops of England_,

p. 524-5, edit. 1601, we find that De Bury was the son of

one SIR RICHARD ANGARUILL, knight: "that he saith of

himselfe 'exstatico quodam librorum amore potenter se

abreptum'--that he was mightily carried away, and even

beside himself, with immoderate love of bookes and desire of

reading. He had alwaies in his house many chaplaines, all

great schollers. His manner was, at dinner and supper-time,

to haue some good booke read unto him, whereof he would

discourse with his chaplaines a great part of the day

following, if busines interrupted not his course. He was

very bountiful unto the poore. Weekely he bestowed for their

reliefe, 8 quarters of wheat made into bread, beside the

offall and fragments of his tables. Riding betweene

Newcastle and Durham he would give 8_l._ in almes; from

Durham to Stocton, 5_l._: from Durham to Aukland, 5 marks;

from Durham to Middleham, 5_l._" &c. This latter is the

"pars melior" of every human being; and bibliomaniacs seem

to have possessed it as largely as any other tribe of

mortals. I have examined Richardson's magnificent reprint of

Godwyn's book, in the Latin tongue, London, 1743, folio; p.

747; and find nothing worth adding to the original text.]

LOREN. The task we have imposed upon you, my good Lysander, would be

severe indeed if you were to notice, with minute exactness, all the

book-anecdotes of the middle ages. You have properly introduced the

name and authority of Warton; but if you suffered yourself to be

beguiled by his enchanting style, into all the bibliographical

gossiping of this period, you would have no mercy upon your lungs, and

there would be no end to the disquisition.

LYSAND. Forgive me, if I have transgressed the boundaries of good

sense or good breeding: it was not my intention to make a "_Concio ad

Aulam_"--as worthy old Bishop Saunderson was fond of making--but

simply to state facts, or indulge in book chit-chat, as my memory

served me.

LIS. Nay, Lorenzo, do not disturb the stream of Lysander's eloquence.

I could listen 'till "Jocund day stood tip-toe on the mountain."

PHIL. You are a little unconscionable, Lisardo: but I apprehend

Lorenzo meant only to guard Lysander against that minuteness of

narration which takes us into every library and every study of the

period at which we are arrived. If I recollect aright, Warton was

obliged to restrain himself in the same cause.[267]

[Footnote 267: The part alluded to, in Warton, is at the

commencement of his second Dissertation "On the Introduction

of Learning into Great Britain." After rambling with the

utmost felicity, among the libraries, and especially the

monastic ones, of the earlier and middle ages--he thus

checks himself by saying, that "in pursuit of these

anecdotes, he is imperceptibly seduced into later periods,

or rather is deviating from his subject."]

LOREN. It belongs to me, Lysander, to solicit your forgiveness. If you

are not tired with the discussion of such a various and extensive

subject (and more particularly from the energetic manner in which it

is conducted on your part), rely upon it that your auditors cannot

possibly feel _ennui_. Every thing before us partakes of your

enthusiasm: the wine becomes mellower, and sparkles with a ruddier

glow; the flavour of the fruit is improved; and the scintillations of

your conversational eloquence are scattered amidst my books, my busts,

and my pictures. Proceed, I entreat you; but first, accept my libation

offered up at the shrine of an offended deity.

LYSAND. You do me, and the _Bibliomania_, too much honour. If my

blushes do not overpower me, I will proceed: but first, receive the

attestation of the deity that he is no longer affronted with you. I

drink to your health and long life!--and proceed:

If, among the numerous and gorgeous books which now surround us, it

should be my good fortune to put my hand upon one, however small or

imperfect, which could give us some account of the _History of British

Libraries_, it would save me a great deal of trouble, by causing me to

maintain at least a chronological consistency in my discourse. But,

since this cannot be--since, with all our love of books and of

learning, we have this pleasing desideratum yet to be supplied--I must

go on, in my usual desultory manner, in rambling among libraries, and

discoursing about books and book-collectors. As we enter upon the

reign of HENRY IV., we cannot avoid the mention of that distinguished

library hunter, and book describer, JOHN BOSTON of Bury;[268] who may

justly be considered the Leland of his day. Gale, if I recollect

rightly, unaccountably describes his bibliomaniacal career as having

taken place in the reign of Henry VII.; but Bale and Pits, from whom

Tanner has borrowed his account, unequivocally affix the date of 1410

to Boston's death; which is three years before the death of Henry. It

is allowed, by the warmest partizans of the reformation, that the

dissolution of the monastic libraries has unfortunately rendered the

labours of Boston of scarcely any present utility.

[Footnote 268: It is said of BOSTON that he visited almost

every public library, and described the titles of every book

therein, with punctilious accuracy. Pits (593) calls him

"vir pius, litteratus, et bonarum litterarum fautor ac

promotor singularis." Bale (p. 549, edit. 1559) has even the

candour to say, "mirâ sedulitate et diligentia omnes omnium

regni monasteriorum bibliothecas invisit: librorum collegit

titulos, et authorum eorum nomina: quæ omnia alphabetico

disposuit ordine, et quasi unam omnium bibliothecam fecit."

What Lysander observes above is very true: "non enim

dissimulanda (says Gale) monasteriorum subversio, quæ brevi

spatio subsecuta est--libros omnes dispersit et BOSTONI

providam diligentiam, maxima ex parte, inutilem reddidit."

_Rer. Anglicar. Scrip. Vet._, vol. iii., præf. p. 1. That

indefatigable antiquary, Thomas Hearne, acknowledges that,

in spite of all his researches in the Bodleian library, he

was scarcely able to discover any thing of Boston's which

related to Benedictus Abbas--and still less of his own

compositions. _Bened. Abbat._ vol. i., præf. p. xvii. It is

a little surprising that Leland should have omitted to

notice him. But the reader should consult Tanner's _Bibl.

Britan._, p. xvii., 114.]

There is a curious anecdote of this period in Rymer's Foedera,[269]

about taking off the duty upon _six barrels of books_, sent by a Roman

Cardinal to the prior of the Conventual church of St. Trinity,

Norwich. These barrels, which lay at the custom-house, were imported

duty free; and I suspect that Henry's third son, the celebrated John

Duke of Bedford, who was then a lad, and just beginning to feed his

bibliomaniacal appetite, had some hand in interceding with his father

for the redemption of the duty.

[Footnote 269: Vol. viii., p. 501. It is a Clause Roll of

the 9th of Henry IV. A.D. 1407: "De certis Libris, absque

Custumenda solvenda, liberandis;" and affords too amusing a

specimen of custom-house latinity to be withheld from the

reader. "Mandamus vobis, quod certos libros _in sex Barellis

contentos_, Priori qt Conventui Ecclesiæ Sanctæ Trinitatis

Norwici, per quendam Adam nuper Cardinalem legatos, et in

portum civitatis nostræ predictæ (Londinensis) ab urbe

Romanâ jam adductos, præfato, Priori, absque Custuma seu

subsidio inde ad opus nostrum capiendis, liberetis

indilate," &c.]

LIS. This DUKE OF BEDFORD was the most notorious bibliomaniac as well

as warrior of his age; and, when abroad, was indefatigable in stirring

up the emulation of Flemish and French artists, to execute for him the

most splendid books of devotion. I have heard great things of what

goes by the name of _The Bedford Missal_![270]

[Footnote 270: This missal, executed under the eye and for

the immediate use of the famous John, Duke of Bedford

(regent of France), and Jane (the daughter of the Duke of

Burgundy) his wife, was, at the beginning of the 18th

century, in the magnificent library of Harley, Earl of

Oxford. It afterwards came into the collection of his

daughter, the well-known Duchess of Portland; at whose sale,

in 1786, it was purchased by Mr. Edwards for 215 guineas;

and 500 guineas have been, a few years ago, offered for this

identical volume. It is yet the property of this last

mentioned gentleman. Among the pictures in it, there is an

interesting one of the whole length portraits of the Duke

and Duchess;--the head of the former of which has been

enlarged and engraved by Vertue for his portraits to

illustrate the History of England. The missal frequently

displays the arms of these noble personages; and also

affords a pleasing testimony of the affectionate gallantry

of the pair; the motto of the former being "A VOUS ENTIER:"

that of the latter, "J'EN SUIS CONTENTE." There is a former

attestation in the volume, of its having been given by the

Duke to his nephew, Henry VI. as "a most suitable present."

But the reader shall consult (if he can procure it) Mr.

Gough's curious little octavo volume written expressly upon

the subject.]

LYSAND. And not greater than what merits to be said of it. I have seen

this splendid bijou in the charming collection of our friend ----. It

is a small thick folio, highly illuminated; and displaying, as well in

the paintings as in the calligraphy, the graphic powers of that age,

which had not yet witnessed even the dry pencil of Perugino. More

gorgeous, more beautifully elaborate, and more correctly graceful,

missals may be in existence; but a more curious, interesting, and

perfect specimen, of its kind, is no where to be seen: the portraits

of the Duke and of his royal brother Henry V. being the best paintings

known of the age. 'Tis, in truth, a lovely treasure in the book way;

and it should sleep every night upon an eider-down pillow encircled

with emeralds!

LIS. Hear him--hear him! Lysander must be a collateral descendant of

this noble bibliomaniac, whose blood, now circulating in his veins,

thus moves him to "discourse most eloquently."

LYSAND. Banter as you please; only "don't disturb the stream of my

eloquence."

The period of this distinguished nobleman was that in which

book-collecting began to assume a fixed and important character in

this country. Oxford saw a glimmering of civilization dawning in her

obscured atmosphere. A short but dark night had succeeded the

patriotic efforts of De Bury; whose curious volumes, bequeathed to

Trinity College, had laid in a melancholy and deserted condition 'till

they were kept company by those of COBHAM, Bishop of Worcester, REDE,

Bishop of Chichester, and HUMPHREY the good Duke of Gloucester.[271]

Now began the fashion (and may it never fall to decay!) of making

presents to public libraries:--but, during the short and splendid

career of HENRY V., learning yielded to arms: the reputation of a

scholar to that of a soldier. I am not aware of any thing at this

period, connected with the subject of our discourse, that deserves

particular mention; although we ought never to name this illustrious

monarch, or to think of his matchless prowess in arms, without

calling to mind how he adorned the rough character of a soldier by

the manners of a prince, the feelings of a Christian, and, I had

almost said, the devotion of a saint.

[Footnote 271: We will first notice COBHAM, Bishop of

Worcester: who "having had a great desire to show some love

to his mother the university of Oxford, began, about the

year 1320, to build, or at least to make some reparations

for _a Library_, over the old congregation house in the

north church-yard of St. Mary's; but he dying soon after,

before any considerable matter was done therein, left

certain moneys for the carrying on of the work, and all his

books, with others that had been lately procured, to be,

with those belonging to the university (as yet kept in

chests) reposed therein." Some controversy afterwards

arising between the University and Oriel College, to which

latter Cobham belonged, the books lay in dreary and

neglected state till 1367; when a room having been built for

their reception, it was settled that they "should be reposed

and chained in the said room or solar; that the scholars of

the University should have free ingress and regress, at

certain times, to make proficiency in them; that certain of

the said books, of greater price, should be sold, till the

sum of _l._ 40 was obtained for them (unless other remedy

could be found) with which should be bought an yearly rent

of _l._ 3, for the maintenance of a chaplain, that should

pray for the soul of the said bishop, and other benefactors

of the University both living and dead, and have the custody

or oversight of the said books, and of those in the ancient

chest of books, and chest of rolls." Wood's _Hist. of the

University of Oxford_, vol. ii., pt. ii., 911. Gutch's edit.

WILLIAM REDE, or READ, bishop of Chichester, "sometimes

Fellow (of Merton College) gave a chest with _l._ 100 in

gold in it, to be borrowed by the Fellows for their relief;

bond being first given in by them to repay it at their

departure from the college; or, in case they should die, to

be paid by their executors: A.D. 1376. He also built, about

the same time, _a Library_ in the college; being the first

that the society enjoyed, and gave books thereunto." Wood's

_History of the Colleges and Halls_, p. 15, Gutch's edit. In

Mr. Nicholl's _Appendix to the History of Leicester_, p.

105, note 20, I find some account of this distinguished

literary character, taken from Tanner's _Bibl. Britan._, p.

618. He is described, in both authorities, as being a very

learned Fellow of Merton College, where he built and

furnished _a noble library_; on the wall of which was

painted his portrait, with this inscription: "GULIELMUS

REDÆUS, EPISCOPUS CICESTRENSIS, MAGISTER IN THEOLOGIA,

PROFUNDUS ASTRONOMUS, QUONDAM SOCIUS ISTIUS COLLEGII, QUI

HANC LIBRARIAM FIERI FECIT." Many of Read's mathematical

instruments, as well as his portrait, were preserved in the

library when Harrison wrote his description of England,

prefix'd to Holinshed's Chronicles; some of the former of

which came into the possession of the historian. For thus

writes Harrison: "William Read, sometime fellow of Merteine

college in Oxford, doctor of divinitie, and the most

profound astronomer that liued in his time, as appeareth by

his collection, which some time I did possesse; his image is

yet in the librarie there; and manie instruments of

astronomie reserued in that house," &c. _Chronicles_ (1587),

edit. 1807, vol. i., p. 237. In the year 1808, when I

visited the ancient and interesting brick-floored library of

Merton College, for the purpose of examining early printed

books, I looked around in vain for the traces, however

faded, of Read's portrait: nor could I discover a single

vestige of the BIBLIOTHECA READIANA! The memory of this once

celebrated bishop lives therefore only in what books have

recorded of him; and this brief and _verbal picture_ of Read

is here drawn--as was the more finished resemblance of

Chaucer by the pencil, which Occleve has left behind--

=That thei that have of him lost thoute and mynde

By this peinture may ageine him fynde.=

HUMPHREY, Duke of GLOUCESTER, "commonly called _the good_,

was youngest brother to Henry V. and the first founder of

the university library in Oxford, which was pillaged of the

greater part of its books in the reign of Edward the Sixth."

Park's edit. of the _Royal and Noble Authors_; vol. i., 198.

"As for the books which he gave (says Wood) they were very

many, more by far than authors report; for whereas 'tis said

he gave 129, you shall find anon that they were more than

treble the number." The Duke's first gift, in 1439, of one

hundred and twenty-nine treatises, was worth, according to

Wood, a thousand pounds. All his book presents, "amounting

to above 600 (mostly treating of divinity, physic, history,

and humanity) which were from several parts of the world

obtained, were transmitted to the university, and for the

present laid up in chests in Cobham's library. The catalogue

also of them which were then sent, and the indentures for

the receipt of the said books, were laid up in the chest

called _Cista Librorum et Rotulorum_." _History_ (or Annals)

_of the University of Oxford_; vol. ii., pt. ii., 914.

Gutch's edit. Consult also the recent and very amusing

_History of the same University_, by Mr. A. Chalmers, vol.

ii., p. 459. Leland has not forgotten this distinguished

bibliomaniac; for he thus lauds him in roman verse:

Tam clari meminit viri togata

Rectè Gallia; tum chorus suavis

Cygnorum Isidis ad vadum incolentûm

Cui magnum numerum dedit BONORUM

LIBRORUM, statuitque sanctiori

Divinus studio scholæ theatrum;

Nostro quale quidem videtur esse

Magnum tempore, forsan et futuro

_Cygn. Cant._ Vide Lelandi Itinerarium

Curâ Hearne; edit. 1770, vol. ix., p. 17.]

The reign of his successor, HENRY VI., was the reign of trouble and

desolation. It is not to be wondered that learning drooped, and

religion "waxed faint," 'midst the din of arms and the effusion of

human blood. Yet towards the close of this reign some attempt was made

to befriend the book cause; for the provost and fellows of Eton and

Cambridge petitioned the king to assist them in increasing the number

of books in their libraries;[272] but the result of this petition has

never, I believe, been known.

[Footnote 272: In the manuscript history of Eton College, in

the British Museum (_MSS. Donat._ 4840, p. 154.), the

Provost and Fellows of Eton and Cambridge are stated, in the

25th of Henry the Sixth, to have petitioned the king that,

as these new colleges were not sufficiently seised of books

for divine service, and for their libraries, he would be

pleased to order one of his chaplains, Richard Chestre, "to

take to him such men as shall be seen to him expedient in

order to get knowledge where such bookes may be found,

paying a reasonable price for the same, and that the sayd

men might have the first choice of such bookes, ornaments,

&c., before any man, and in especiall of all manner of

bookes, ornaments, and other necessaries as now _late were

perteynyng to the Duke of Gloucester_, and that the king

would particular(ly) cause to be employed herein John Pye

his stacioner of London." For this anecdote I am indebted to

Sir H. Ellis. See also the interesting note in Warton's

_Hist. Engl. Poet._, diss. ii., sign. f. 2.]

I had nearly passed through the reign of Henry the Sixth without

noticing the very meritorious labours of a sort of precursor of Dean

Colet; I mean, SIR WALTER SHERINGTON. He was a most assiduous

bibliomaniac;[273] and, in the true spirit of ancient monachism,

conceived that no cathedral could be perfect without a library.

Accordingly, he not only brought together an extraordinary number of

curious books, but framed laws or regulations concerning the treatment

of the books, and the hours of perusing them; which, if I can trust to

my memory, are rather curious, and worth your examination. They are in

Hearne's edition of the Antiquities of Glastonbury, composed in our

own language.

[Footnote 273: "Over the east quadrant of this (great)

cloyster (on the north side of this church) was a fayre

librarie, builded at the costes and charges of (Sir) WALTAR

SHERINGTON, chancellor of the duchie of Lancaster, in the

raigne of Henrie the 6. which hath beene well furnished with

faire written books IN VELLEM: but few of them now do

remaine there." _Antiquities of Glastonbury_; Hearne's edit.

1722; p. 308.

_Regulations concerning Sherington's Library._

"Quodque dicta libraria, hostiis ipsius per præfatos

capellanos custodes ejusdem, et eorum successores, aut

alterum ipsorum, apertis singulis diebus profestis annuatim

á festo Nativ. beat. Mar. Virg. usque festum Annunciacionis

ejusdem, ob ortu solis, donec hora nona post altam missam de

servicio diei in dicta ecclesiâ cathedrali finiatur: et

iterum ab hora prima post meridiem usque ad finem

completorii in eadem ecclesia cathedrali, vel saltem usque

ad occasum solis per eosdem, seu eorum alterum, sic continue

diligenter custodiatur. Et eciam singulis diebus profestis

annuatim, ab eodem festo Annunciacionis beatæ Mariæ Virginis

usque ad prædictum festum nativitatis ejusdem, ab hora diei

sexta, donec hora nona post altam missam in dicta ecclesia

cathedrali, et iterum ab hora prima post meridiem quosque

completorium in eadem ecclesia cathedrali finiatur, per

præfatos capellanos, seu eorum alterum et successores suos

custodes dictæ librariæ debitè et diligenter aperta,

custodiatur, nisi causa racionabilis hoc fieri impediat. Ita

quod nullum dampnum eidem librariæ aut in libris, aut in

hostiis, seruris vel fenestris vitreis ejusdem, ex

negligencia dictorum capellanorum aut successorum suorum

custodum dictæ librariæ evenire contingat. Et si quid

dampnum hujusmodi in præmissis, seu aliquo præmissorum, per

negligenciam ipsorum capellanorum, seu eorum alterius, aut

successorum suorum quoque modo imposterum evenerit, id vel

ipsa dampnum aut dampna recompensare, emendare et

satisfacere, tociens quociens contigerit, de salariis seu

stipendiis suis propriis, auctoritate et judicio dictorum

Decani et Capituli, debeant et teneantur, ut est justum.

Ceteris vero diebus, noctibus et temporibus hostia prædicta,

cum eorum seruris et clavibus, omnino sint clausa et secure

serata." _Id._: p. 193.]

We now enter upon the reign of an active and enterprising monarch;

who, though he may be supposed to have cut his way to the throne by

his sword, does not appear to have persecuted the cause of learning;

but rather to have looked with a gracious eye upon its operations by

means of the press. In the reign of EDWARD IV., our venerable and

worthy Caxton fixed the first press that ever was set to work in this

country, in the abbey of Westminster. Yes, Lorenzo; now commenced more

decidedly, the æra of BIBLIOMANIA! Now the rich, and comparatively

poor, began to build them small _Book Rooms_ or _Libraries_. At first,

both the architecture and furniture were sufficiently rude, if I

remember well the generality of wood cuts of ancient book-boudoirs:--a

few simple implements only being deemed necessary; and a three-legged

stool, "in fashion square or round," as Cowper[274] says, was thought

luxury sufficient for the hard student to sit upon. Now commenced a

general love and patronage of books: now (to borrow John Fox's

language) "tongues became known, knowledge grew, judgment increased,

BOOKS WERE DISPERSED, the scripture was read, stories were opened,

times compared, truth discerned, falsehood detected, and with finger

pointed (at)--and all, THROUGH THE BENEFIT OF PRINTING."[275]

[Footnote 274: The entire passage is worth extraction: as it

well describes many an old stool which has served for many a

studious philosopher:

"Joint stools were then created: on three legs

Upborne they stood. Three legs upholding firm

A massy slab, in fashion square or round.

On such a stool immortal Alfred sat,

And sway'd the sceptre of his infant realms.

And such in ancient halls and mansions drear

May still be seen; but perforated sore,

And drilled in holes, the solid oak is found,

By worms voracious eating through and through."

_Task_: b. i., v. 19, &c.

It had escaped the amiable and sagacious author of these

verses that such tripodical seats were frequently introduced

into OLD BOOK-ROOMS; as the subjoined print--which gives us

also a curious picture of one of the libraries alluded to by

Lysander--may serve to shew:

[Illustration: _Revelaciones Sancte Birgitte; ed. 1521,

sign. z. 3 rev._]]

[Footnote 275: _Book of Martyrs_, vol. i., p. 927; edit.

1641.]

LIS. Now you have arrived at this period, pray concentrate your

anecdotes into a reasonable compass. As you have inveigled us into the

printing-office of Caxton, I am fearful, from your strong attachment

to him, that we shall not get over the threshhold of it, into the open

air again, until midnight.

PHIL. Order, order, Lisardo! This is downright rudeness. I appeal to

the chair!--

LORENZ. Lisardo is unquestionably reprehensible. His eagerness makes

him sometimes lose sight of good breeding.

LYSAND. I was going to mention some _Vellum_ and _Presentation_

copies--but I shall hurry forward.

LIS. Nay, if you love me, omit nothing about "vellum and presentation

copies." Speak at large upon these glorious subjects.

LYSAND. Poor Lisardo!--we must build an iron cage to contain such a

book-madman as he promises to become!

PHIL. Proceed, dear Lysander, and no longer heed these interruptions.

LYSAND. Nay, I was only about to observe that, as Caxton is known to

have printed _upon vellum_,[276] it is most probable that one of his

presentation copies of the romances of _Jason and Godfrey of Boulogne_

(executed under the patronage of Edward IV.), might have been printed

in the same manner. Be this as it may, it seems reasonable to conclude

that Edward the Fourth was not only fond of books, as objects of

beauty or curiosity, but that he had some affection for literature and

literary characters; for how could the firm friend and generous

patron of TIPTOFT, EARL of WORCESTER--with whom this monarch had spent

many a studious, as well as jovial, hour--be insensible to the charms

of intellectual refinement! Pause we here for one moment--and let us

pour the juice of the blackest grape upon the votive tablet,

consecrated to the memory of this illustrious nobleman! and, as Caxton

has become so fashionable[277] among us, I will read to you, from

yonder beautiful copy of his English edition of "_Tully upon

Friendship_," a part of our printer's affecting eulogy upon the

translator:--"O good blessed Lord God, what great loss was it of that

noble, virtuous, and well-disposed lord! When I remember and advertise

his life, his science, and his virtue, me thinketh God not displeased

over a great loss of such a man, considering his estate and cunning,"

&c. "At his death every man that was there, might learn to die and

take his (own) death patiently; wherein I hope and doubt not, but that

God received his soul into his everlasting bliss. For as I am informed

he right advisedly ordained all his things, as well for his last will

of worldly goods, as for his soul's health; and patiently, and holily,

without grudging, in charity, to fore that he departed out of this

world: which is gladsome and joyous to hear."--What say you to this

specimen of Caxtonian eloquence?

[Footnote 276: Consult the recent edition of the

_Typographical Antiquities_ of our own country: vol. i., p.

56, 137, 268.]

[Footnote 277: As a proof of the ardour with which the books

printed by him are now sought after, the reader shall judge

for himself--when he is informed that an imperfect copy of

the _Golden Legend_, one of Caxton's commonest productions,

produced at a book sale, a few months ago, the sum of

_twenty-seven_ guineas!]

LIS. It has a considerable merit; but my attention has been a good

deal diverted, during your appropriate recital of it, to the beautiful

condition of the copy. Thrice happy Lorenzo! what sum will convey this

volume to my own library!

LOREN. No offer, in the shape of money, shall take it hence. I am an

enthusiast in the cause of Tiptoft; and am always upon the watch to

discover any volume, printed by Caxton, which contains the composition

of the hapless Earl of Worcester! Dr. Henry has spoken so handsomely

of him, and Mr. Park, in his excellent edition of Walpole's Royal and

Noble Authors,[278] has made his literary character so interesting

that, considering the dearth of early good English authors,[279] I

know of no other name that merits greater respect and admiration.

[Footnote 278: Vol i., p. 200, &c. _History of Great

Britain_, by Dr. Henry, vol. x., p. 143, &c.]

[Footnote 279: "In the library of Glastonbury abbey, in

1248, there were but four books in Engleish, &c. We have not

a single historian, in Engleish prose, before the reign of

Richard the Second; when John Treviza translateëd the

Polychronicon of Randal Higden. Boston of Bury, who seems to

have consulted all the monasterys in Engleland, does not

mention one author who had written in Engleish; and Bale, at

a lateër period, has, comparatively, but an insignificant

number: nor was Leland so fortunate as to find above two or

three Engleish books, in the monastick and other librarys,

which he rummage'd, and explore'd, under the king's

commission." Ritson's Dissertation on Romance and

Minstrelsy: prefixed to his _Ancient Engleish Metrical

Romanceës_, vol. i., p. lxxxi.]

LYSAND. True; and this nobleman's attention to the acquisition of fine

and useful books, when he was abroad, for the benefit of his own

country,[280] gives him a distinguished place in the list of

BIBLIOMANIACS. I dare say Lisardo would give some few hundred guineas

for his bust, executed by Flaxman, standing upon a pedestal composed

of the original editions of his works, bound in grave-coloured morocco

by his favourite Faulkener?[281]

[Footnote 280: Dr. Henry's _History of Great Britain_;

_ibid._: from which a copious note has been given in the new

edition of our _Typographical Antiquities_; vol. i., p. 127,

&c.]

[Footnote 281: Henry Faulkener, no. 4, George Court, near

the Adelphi, in the Strand. An honest, industrious, and

excellent book-binder: who, in his mode of re-binding

ancient books is not only scrupulously particular in the

preservation of that important part of a volume, the margin;

but, in his ornaments of tooling, is at once tasteful and

exact. Notwithstanding these hard times, and rather a

slender bodily frame, and yet more slender purse--with five

children, and the prospect of five more--honest Mr.

Faulkener is in his three-pair-of-stairs confined workshop

by five in the morning winter and summer, and oftentimes

labours 'till twelve at night. Severer toil, with more

uniform good humour and civility in the midst of all his

embarrassments, were never perhaps witnessed in a brother of

the ancient and respectable craft of _Book-binding_!]

LIS. I entreat you not to inflame my imagination by such tantalizing

pictures! You know this must ever be a fiction: the most successful

bibliomaniac never attained to such human happiness.

PHIL. Leave Lisardo to his miseries, and proceed.

LYSAND. I have supposed Edward to have spent some jovial hours with

this unfortunate nobleman. It is thought that our monarch and he

partook of the superb feast which was given by the famous NEVELL,

archbishop of York, at the inthronization of the latter; and I am

curious to know of what the library of such a munificent

ecclesiastical character was composed! But perhaps this feast

itself[282] is one of Lisardo's fictions.

[Footnote 282: Lysander is perfectly correct about the feast

which was given at the archbishop's inthronization; as the

particulars of it--"out of an old paper roll in the archives

of the Bodleian library," are given by Hearne in the sixth

volume of _Leland's Collectanea_, p. 1-14: and a most

extraordinary and amusing bill of fare it is. The last

twenty dinners given by the Lord Mayors at Guildhall, upon

the first day of their mayoralties, were only

_sandwiches_--compared with such a repast! What does the

reader think of 2000 chickens, 4000 pigeons, 4000 coneys,

500 "and mo," stags, bucks, and roes, with 4000 "pasties of

venison colde?"--and these barely an 18th part of the kind

of meats served up! At the high table our amiable EARL of

WORCESTER was seated, with the Archbishop, three Bishops,

the Duke of Suffolk, and the Earl of Oxford. The fictitious

archiepiscopal feast was the one intended to be given by

NEVELL to Edward IV.; when the latter "appointed a day to

come to hunt in More in Hertfordshire, and make merry with

him." Nevell made magnificent preparations for the royal

visit; but instead of receiving the monarch as a guest, he

was saluted by some of his officers, who "arrested him for

treason," and imprisoned him at Calais and Guisnes. The

cause of this sudden, and apparently monstrous, conduct, on

the part of Edward, has not been told by Stow (_Chronicles_,

p. 426; edit. 1615), nor by Godwyn, (_Catalogue of the

Bishops of England_, p. 481, edit. 1601): both of whom

relate the fact with singular naiveté. I have a strong

suspicion that Nevell was so far a bibliomaniac as to have

had a curious collection of _astrological books_; for "there

was greate correspondency betweene this Archbishop and the

Hermetique philosophers of his time; and this is partly

confirmed to me from Ripley's dedication of his '_Medulla_'

to him, ann. 1746; as also the presentation of Norton's

'_Ordinall_,'" &c. Thus writes Ashmole, in his _Theatrum

Chemicum_, p. 455.]

Enough has probably been said of Edward. We will stop, therefore, but

a minute, to notice the completion of the HUMPHREY LIBRARY, and the

bibliomaniacal spirit of master RICHARD COURTNEY,[283] during the same

reign; and give but another minute to the mention of the statute of

RICHARD III. in protection of English printers,[284] when we reach the

AUGUSTAN BOOK-AGE, in the reign of HENRY VII.

[Footnote 283: Speaking of the public library of Oxford, at

this period, Hearne tells us, from a letter sent by him to

Thomas Baker, that there was "a chaplein of the Universitie

chosen, after the maner of a Bedell, and to him was the

custodie of the librarye committed, his stipend--cvi_s_. and

viii_d_. his apparell found him _de secta generosorum_. No

man might come in to studdie but graduats and thoes of 8

years contynuance in the Universitie, except noblemen. All

that come in must firste sweare to use the bookes well, and

not to deface theim, and everye one after at his proceedings

must take the licke othe. Howers apoynted when they shuld

come in to studdie, viz. betwene ix and xi aforenoone, and

one and four afternoone, the keper geving attendaunce: yet a

prerogative was graunted the chancelour MR. RICHARD COURTNEY

to come in when he pleased, during his own lieffe, so it was

in the day-tyme: and the cause seemeth, that he was CHEIFFE

CAWSER AND SETTER ON OF THE LIBRARYE." _Curious Discourses

by Eminent Antiquaries_; vol. ii., p. 410., edit. 1775.]

[Footnote 284: See page 114, ante. When Lysander talks,

above, of the reign of Henry the Seventh being the "AUGUSTAN

AGE for BOOKS," he must be supposed to allude to the

facility and beauty of publishing them by means of THE

PRESS: for at this period, abroad, the typographical

productions of Verard, Eustace, Vostre, Bonfons, Pigouchet,

Regnier, and many others ("quæ nunc perscribere longum est")

were imitated, and sometimes equalled by W. de Worde,

Pynson, and Notary, at home. In regard to _intellectual_

fame, if my authority be good, "in the reign of Henry VII.

Greek was a stranger in both universities; and so little

even of Latin had Cambridge, of its own growth, that it had

not types sufficient to furnish out the common letters and

epistles of the University. They usually employed an

Italian, one Caius Auberinus, to compose them, whose

ordinarry [Transcriber's Note: ordinary] fee was twentypence

a letter." (MSS. in Benet College Library, lib. P. p. 194,)

_Ridley's Life of Ridley_, p. 22. "Greek began to be taught

in both universities: quietly at Cambridge, but ('Horresco

referens!') with some tumult at Oxford!" _ibid._]

PHIL. Before we proceed to discuss the bibliomaniacal ravages of this

age, we had better retire, with Lorenzo's leave, to the DRAWING-ROOM;

to partake of a beverage less potent than that which is now before us.

LORENZ. Just as you please. But I should apprehend that Lysander could

hold out 'till he reached the Reformation;--and, besides, I am not

sure whether our retreat be quite ready for us.

LIS. Pray let us not take leave of all these beauteous books, and

busts, and pictures, just at present. If Lysander's lungs will bear

him out another twenty minutes, we shall, by that time, have reached

the Reformation; and then "our retreat," as Lorenzo calls it, may be

quite ready for our reception.

LYSAND. Settle it between yourselves. But I think I could hold out for

another twenty minutes--since you will make me your only book-orator.

LORENZ. Let it be so, then. I will order the lamps to be lit; so that

Lisardo may see his favourite Wouvermans and Berghems, in company with

my romances, (which latter are confined in my satin-wood book-case) to

every possible degree of perfection!

LYSAND. Provided you indulge me also with a sight of these delightful

objects, you shall have what you desire:--and thus I proceed:

Of the great passion of HENRY THE VIITH for fine books, even before he

ascended the throne of England,[285] there is certainly no doubt. And

while he was king, we may judge, even from the splendid fragments of

his library, which are collected in the British Museum, of the nicety

of his taste, and of the soundness of his judgment. That he should

love extravagant books of devotion,[286] as well as histories and

chronicles, must be considered the fault of the age, rather than of

the individual. I will not, however, take upon me to say that the

slumbers of this monarch were disturbed in consequence of the

extraordinary and frightful passages, which, accompanied with bizarre

cuts,[287] were now introduced into almost every work, both of

ascetic divinity and also of plain practical morality. His

predecessor, Richard, had in all probability been alarmed by the

images which the reading of these books had created; and I guess that

it was from such frightful objects, rather than from the ghosts of his

murdered brethren, that he was compelled to pass a sleepless night

before the memorable battle of Bosworth Field. If one of those

artists who used to design the horrible pictures which are engraved in

many old didactic volumes of this period had ventured to take a peep

into Richard's tent, I question whether he would not have seen, lying

upon an oaken table, an early edition of some of those fearful works

of which he had himself aided in the embellishment, and of which

Heinecken has given us such curious fac-similes:[288]--and this, in my

humble apprehension, is quite sufficient to account for all the

terrible workings in Richard, which Shakespeare has so vividly

described.

[Footnote 285: Mr. Heber has a fine copy of one of the

volumes of a black-letter edition of Froissart, printed by

Eustace, upon the exterior of the binding of which are

HENRY'S arms, with his name--HENRICVS DVX RICHMVNDIÆ. The

very view of such a book, while it gives comfort to a

low-spirited bibliomaniac, adds energy to the perseverance

of a young collector! the latter of whom fondly, but vainly,

thinks he may one day be blessed with a similar treasure!]

[Footnote 286: The possession of such a volume as "_The

Revelations of the monk of Euesham_" (vide vol. ii., of the

new edition of _Brit. Typog. Antiquities_), is evidence

sufficient of Henry's attachment to extravagant books of

devotion.]

[Footnote 287: It is certainly one of the comforts of modern

education, that girls and boys have nothing to do, even in

the remotest villages, with the perusal of such books as

were put into the juvenile hands of those who lived towards

the conclusion of the 15th century. One is at a loss to

conceive how the youth of that period could have ventured at

night out of doors, or slept alone in a darkened room,

without being frightened out of their wits! Nor could

maturer life be uninfluenced by reading such volumes as are

alluded to in the text: and as to the bed of death--_that_

must have sometimes shaken the stoutest faith, and disturbed

the calmest piety. For what can be more terrible, and at the

same time more audacious, than human beings arrogating to

themselves the powers of the deity, and denouncing, in

equivocal cases, a certainty and severity of future

punishment, equally revolting to scripture and common sense?

To drive the timid into desperation, and to cut away the

anchor of hope from the rational believer, seem, among other

things, to have been the objects of these "ascetic" authors;

while the pictures, which were suffered to adorn their

printed works, confirmed the wish that, where the reader

might not comprehend the text, he could understand its

illustration by means of a print. I will give two extracts,

and one of these "bizarre cuts," in support of the preceding

remarks. At page 168, ante, the reader will find a slight

mention of the subject: he is here presented with a more

copious illustration of it. "In likewise there is none that

may declare the piteous and horrible cries and howlings the

which that is made in hell, as well of devils as of other

damned. And if that a man demand what they say in crying;

the answer: All the damned curseth the Creator. Also they

curse together as their father and their mother, and the

hour that they were begotten, and that they were born, and

that they were put unto nourishing, and those that them

should correct and teach, and also those the which have been

the occasion of their sins, as the bawd, cursed be the bawd,

and also of other occasions in diverse sins. The second

cause of the cry of them damned is for the consideration

that they have of the time of mercy, the which is past, in

the which they may do penance and purchase paradise. The

third cause is of their cry for by cause of the horrible

pains of that they endure. As we may consider that if an

hundred persons had every of them one foot and one hand in

the fire, or in the water seething without power to die,

what _bruit_ and what cry they should make; but that should

be less than nothing in comparison of devils and of other

damned, for they ben more than an hundred thousand

thousands, the which all together unto them doeth

_noysaunce_, and all in one thunder crying and braying

horribly."--_Thordynary of Crysten Men_, 1506, 4to., k k.

ii., rect. Again: from a French work written "for the

amusement of all worthy ladies and gentlemen:"

De la flamme tousiours esprise

De feu denfer qui point ne brise

De busches nest point actise

Ne de soufflemens embrase

Le feu denfer, mais est de Dieu

Cree pour estre en celuy lieu

Des le premier commencement

Sans jamais pendre finement

Illec nya point de clarte

Mais de tenebres obscurte

De peine infinie durte

De miseres eternite

Pleur et estraignement de dens

Chascun membre aura la dedans

Tourmmens selon ce qua forfait

La peine respondra au fait,

&c. &c. &c.

_Le passe tempe de tout home, et de toute femme_;

sign. q. ii., rev.

Printed by Verard in 8vo., without date: (from a copy,

printed upon vellum, in the possession of John Lewis

Goldsmyd, Esq.)--The next extract is from a book which was

written to amuse and instruct the common people: being

called by Warton a "universal magazine of every article of

salutary and useful knowledge." _Hist. Engl. Poetry_: vol.

ii., 195.

In hell is great mourning

Great trouble of crying

Of thunder noises roaring

with plenty of wild fire

Beating with great strokes like guns

with a great frost in water runs

And after a bitter wind comes

which goeth through the souls with ire

There is both thirst and hunger

fiends with hooks putteth their flesh asunder

They fight and curse and each on other wonder

with the fight of the devils dreadable

There is shame and confusion

Rumour of conscience for evil living

They curse themself with great crying

In smoak and stink they be evermore lying

with other pains innumerable.

_Kalendar of Shepherds. Sign G. vij. rev.

Pynson's edit., fol._

[Illustration]

Specimens of some of the tremendous cuts which are crowded

into this thin folio will be seen in the second volume of

the new edition of the _Typographical Antiquities_. However,

that the reader's curiosity may not here be disappointed, he

is presented with a similar specimen, on a smaller scale, of

one of the infernal tortures above described. It is taken

from a book whose title conveys something less terrific; and

describes a punishment which is said to be revealed by the

Almighty to St. Bridget against those who have "ornamenta

indecentia in capitibus et pedibus, et reliquis membris, ad

provocandum luxuriam et irritandum deum, in strictis

vestibus, ostensione mamillarum, unctionibus," &c.

_Revelaciones sancte Birgitte; edit. Koeberger, 1521, fol.,

sign. q., 7, rev._]

[Footnote 288: See many of the cuts in that scarce and

highly coveted volume, entitled, "_Idée Generale d'une

Collection complètte d'Estampes_." Leips. 1771, 8vo.]

LIS. This is, at least, an original idea; and has escaped the sagacity

of every commentator in the last twenty-one volume edition of the

works of our bard.

LYSAND. But to return to Henry. I should imagine that his mind was not

much affected by the perusal of this description of books: but rather

that he was constantly meditating upon some old arithmetical work--the

prototype of Cocker--which, in the desolation of the ensuing half

century, has unfortunately perished. Yet, if this monarch be accused

of avaricious propensities--if, in consequence of speculating deeply

in _large paper_ and _vellum_ copies, he made his coffers to run over

with gold--it must be remembered that he was, at the same time, a

patron as well as judge of architectural artists; and while the

completion of the structure of King's college Chapel, Cambridge, and

the building of his own magnificent chapel[289] at Westminster (in

which latter, I suspect, he had a curiously-carved gothic closet for

the preservation of choice copies from Caxton's neighbouring press),

afford decisive proofs of Henry's skill in matters of taste, the

rivalship of printers and of book-buyers shews that the example of the

monarch was greatly favourable to the propagation of the Bibliomania.

Indeed, such was the progress of the book-disease that, in the very

year of Henry's death, appeared, for the first time in this country,

an edition of _The Ship of Fools_--in which work, ostentatious and

ignorant book-collectors[290] are, amongst other characters, severely

satirized.

[Footnote 289: Harpsfield speaks with becoming truth and

spirit of Henry's great attention to ecclesiastical

establishments: "Splendidum etiam illud sacellum

westmonasterij, magno sumptu atque magnificentia ab eodem

est conditum. In quod coenobium valde fuit liberalis et

munificus. Nullumque fere fuit in tota Anglia monachorum,

aut fratrum coenobium, nullum collegium, cujus preces, ad

animam ipsius Deo post obitum commendandam, sedulo non

expetierat. Legavit autem singulorum præfectis sex solidos

et octo denarios, singulis autem eorundem presbyteris, tres

solidos et quatuor denarios: ceteris non presbyteris viginti

denarios." _Hist. Eccles. Anglic._, p. 606, edit. 1622,

fol.]

[Footnote 290: The reader is here introduced to his old

acquaintance, who appeared in the title-page to my first

"_Bibliomania_:"--

[Illustration]

I am the firste fole of all the hole navy

To kepe the pompe, the helme, and eke the sayle:

For this is my mynde, this one pleasoure have I--

Of bokes to haue great plenty and aparayle.

I take no wysdome by them: nor yet avayle

Nor them perceyve nat: And then I them despyse.

Thus am I a foole, and all that serue that guyse.

_Shyp of Folys_, &c., _Pynson's edit._, 1509, fol.]

We have now reached the threshhold of the reign of HENRY VIII.--and of

the era of THE REFORMATION. An era in every respect most important,

but, in proportion to its importance, equally difficult to

describe--as it operates upon the history of the Bibliomania. Now

blazed forth, but blazed for a short period, the exquisite talents of

Wyatt, Surrey, Vaux, Fischer, More, and, when he made his abode with

us, the incomparable Erasmus. But these in their turn.

PHIL. You omit Wolsey. Surely he knew something about books?

LYSAND. I am at present only making the sketch of my grand picture.

Wolsey, I assure you, shall stand in the foreground. Nor shall the

immortal Leland be treated in a less distinguished manner. Give me

only "ample room and verge enough," and a little time to collect my

powers, and then--

LIS. "Yes, and then"--you will infect us from top to toe with the

BOOK-DISEASE!

PHIL. In truth I already begin to feel the consequence of the

innumerable miasma of it, which are floating in the atmosphere of this

library. I move that we adjourn to a purer air.

LYSAND. I second the motion: for, having reached the commencement of

Henry's reign, it will be difficult to stop at any period in it

previous to that of the Reformation.

LIS. Agreed. Thanks to the bacchanalian bounty of Lorenzo, we are

sufficiently enlivened to enter yet further, and more enthusiastically,

into this congenial discourse. Dame nature and good sense equally

admonish us now to depart. Let us, therefore, close the apertures of

these gorgeous decanters:--

"Claudite jam rivos, pueri: sat prata bibêrunt!"

[Illustration]

[Illustration: The striking device of M. MORIN, Printer, Rouen.]