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.
[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!
[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."
[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 3l. 7s. 5d. 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 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!"
[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