Loren. Be not dismayed, Lysander. If any one, in particular, looks "frowningly" upon you, leave him to me, and he shall have ample satisfaction.
Lysand. I wish, indeed, you would rid me of a few of these book-madmen. For, look yonder, what a commanding attitude Thomas Baker[373] assumes!
[373] Thomas Baker was a learned antiquary in most things respecting Typography and Bibliography; and seems to have had considerable influence with that distinguished corps, composed of Hearne, Bagford, Middleton, Anstis, and Ames, &c. His life has been written by the Rev. Robert Masters, Camb., 1784, 8vo.; and from the "Catalogue of forty-two folio volumes of MS. collections by Mr. Baker"—given to the library of St. John's College, Cambridge—which the biographer has printed at the end of the volume—there is surely sufficient evidence to warrant us in concluding that the above-mentioned Thomas Baker was no ordinary bibliomaniac. To Hearne in particular (and indeed to almost every respectable author who applied to him) he was kind and communicative; hence he is frequently named by the former in terms of the most respectful admiration: thus—"Vir amicissimus, educatus optime, emendatus vitâ, doctrinâ clarus, moribus singularis et perjucundus, exemplum antiquitatis, cujus judicio plurimum esse tribuendum mecum fatebuntur litterati:" Vita Mori, p. xviii. In his preface to the Antiquities of Glastonbury, p. cxxx., Hearne calls him "that great man;" and again, in his Walter Hemingford, vol. i., p. xvii.—"amicus eruditissimus, mihi summe colendus; is nempe, qui è scriniis suis MSS. tam multa meam in gratiam deprompsit." Indeed, Hearne had good occasion to speak well of the treasures of Baker's "scrinia;" as the Appendix to his Thomas de Elmham alone testifies. Of Baker's abilities and private worth, we have the testimonies of Middleton (Origin of Printing, p. 5) and Warburton. The latter thus mentions him: "Good old Mr. Baker, of St John's College, has indeed, been very obliging. The people of St. John's almost adore the man." Masters's Life of Baker, p. 94. This authority also informs us that "Mr. Baker had, for many years before his death, been almost a recluse, and seldom went farther than the college walks, unless to a coffee-house in an evening, after chapel, where he commonly spent an hour with great chearfulness, conversing with a select number of his friends and acquaintance upon literary subjects," p. 108. Every thing the most amiable, and, I had almost said, enviable, is here said of the virtues of his head and heart; and that this venerable bibliomaniac should have reached his 80th year is at least a demonstration that tarrying amongst folios and octavos, from morn till night (which Baker used to do, in St. John's Library, for nearly 20 years together), does not unstring the nerves, or dry up the juices, of the human frame. Yet a little further extension of this note, gentle reader, and then we bid adieu to Thomas Baker, of ever respectable book-memory. Among the MSS., once the property of Herbert, which I purchased at the late sale of Mr. Gough's MSS., I obtained a volume full of extracts from original letters between Baker and Ames; containing also the Will of the former, which is not inserted in Master's Life of him, nor in the Biographia Britannica. The original documents are in his Majesty's library, and were bought at the sale of Mr. Tutet's books, A.D. 1786; no. 375. From this will, as Herbert has copied it, the reader is presented with the following strong proofs of the bibliomaniacal "ruling passion, strong in death," of our illustrious antiquary. But let us not omit the manly tone of piety with which this Will commences. "In the name of God, Amen! I, Thomas Baker, ejected Fellow of St. John's college, Cambridge, do make my last will and testament, as follows: First, I commend my soul into the hands of Almighty God (my most gracious and good God), my faithful Creator and merciful Redeemer, and, in all my dangers and difficulties, a most constant protector. Blessed for ever be his holy name." "As to the temporal goods which it hath pleased the same good God to bestow upon me (such as all men ought to be content with) and are, I bless God, neither poverty nor riches—I dispose of them in the following manner." Here follow a few of his book bequests, which may be worth the attention of those whose pursuits lead them to a particular examination of these authors. "Whereas I have made a deed of gift or sale for one guinea, of 21 volumes in folio, of my own hand-writing, to the Right Honourable Edward Earl of Oxford, I confirm and ratify that gift by this my last will. And I beg his lordship's acceptance of 'em, being sensible that they are of little use or value, with two other volumes in fol., markt Vol. 19, 20, since convey'd to him in like manner. To my dear cosin, George Baker, of Crook, Esq., I leave the Life of Cardinal Wolsey, noted with my own hand, Lord Clarendon's History, with cuts and prints; and Winwood's Memorials, in three volumes, fol., with a five pound (Jacobus) piece of gold, only as a mark of respect and affection, since he does not want it. To my worthy kinsman and Friend Mr. George Smith, I leave Godwin de Præsulibus Angliæ, and Warræus de Præsulibus Hibernia, both noted with my own hand. To St. John's College Library I leave all such books, printed or MSS., as I have and are wanting there: excepting that I leave in trust to my worthy friend, Dr. Middleton, for the University Library, Archbishop Wake's State of the Church, noted and improved under his own hand; Bp. Burnet's History of the Reformation, in three volumes, noted in my hand; and Bp. Kennett's Register and Chronicle (for the memory of which three great prelates, my honoured friends, I must always have due regard). To these I add Mr. Ansty's, my worthy friend, History of the Garter, in two vols., fol. Wood's Athenæ Oxon.; and Maunsell's Catalogue; both noted with my own hand—and Gunton's and Patrick's History of The Church of Peterburgh, noted (from Bishop Kennett) in my hand; with fifteen volumes (more or less) in fol., all in my own hand; and three volumes in 4to., part in my own hand." Let us conclude in a yet more exalted strain of christian piety than we began. "Lastly, I constitute and appoint my dear nephew, Richard Burton, Esq., my sole executor, to whom I leave every thing undisposed of, which I hope will be enough to reward his trouble. May God Almighty bless him, and give him all the engaging qualities of his father, all the vertues of his mother, and none of the sins or failings of his uncle, which God knows are great and many:—and humbly, O my God, I call for mercy! In testimony of this my will, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this 15th day of October, 1739.
Tho. Baker.
And now, O my God, into thy hands I contentedly resign myself: whether it be to life or death, thy will be done! Long life I have not desired (and yet thou hast given it me). Give me, if it be thy good pleasure, an easy and happy death. Or if it shall please thee to visit me sorely, as my sins have deserved, give me patience to bear thy correction, and let me always say (even with my dying breath) Thy will be done, Amen, Amen." Subjoined was this curious memorandum: "At the making of this will, I have, in the corner of my outer study, next my chamber, 170 guineas; and on the other side of the study towards the river, 100 guineas, more or less, in several canvass bags, behind the shelves, being more secret and hidden, to prevent purloyning. One or more of the shelves markt G. among the latter is a five pound (Jacobus) piece of gold."
Loren. Never fear. He is an old acquaintance of mine; for, when resident at St. John's, Cambridge, I was frequently in the habit of conversing with his spirit in the library, and of getting curious information relating to choice and precious volumes, which had escaped the sagacity of his predecessors, and of which I fear his successors have not made the most proper use.
Phil. This is drawing too severe a conclusion. But Baker merits the thanks of a book-loving posterity.
Lysand. He is satisfied with this mention of his labours; for see, he retreats—and Theobald[374] and Tom Rawlinson rush forward to claim a more marked attention: although I am not much disposed to draw a highly finished picture of the editor of Shakespeare.
[374] Notwithstanding Pope has called Theobald by an epithet which I have too much respect for the ears of my readers to repeat, I do not scruple to rank the latter in the list of bibliomaniacs. We have nothing here to do with his edition of Shakspeare; which, by the bye, was no despicable effort of editorial skill—as some of his notes, yet preserved in the recent editions of our bard, testify—but we may fairly allow Theobald to have been a lover of Caxtonian lore, as his curious extract in Mist's Journal, March 16, 1728, from our old printer's edition of Virgil's Æneid, 1490, sufficiently testifies. While his gothic library, composed in part of "Caxton, Wynkyn, and De Lyra," proves that he had something of the genuine blood of bibliomaniacism running in his veins. See Mr. Bowles's edition of Pope's Works, vol. v., 114, 257.
Lis. Is Thomas Rawlinson[375] so particularly deserving of commendation, as a bibliomaniac?