It would be difficult to mention, within a moderate compass, all the rare and curious articles which his library contained—but the following are too conspicuous to be passed over. The Spira Virgil, of 1470, Pfintzing's Tewrdanchk's, 1527, Brandt's Stultifera Navis, 1498, and the Aldine Petrarch, of 1501, all upon vellum. The large paper Olivet's Cicero was purchased by Dr. Askew, for 14l. 14s., and was sold again at his sale for 36l. 15s. The King of France bought the editio princeps of Pliny Senior for 11l. 11s.: and Mr. Wilcock, a bookseller, bought the magnificently illuminated Pliny by Jenson, of 1472, for 18l. 18s.: of which Maittaire has said so many fine things. The French books, and all the works upon the Fine Arts, were of the first rarity and value, and bound in a sumptuous manner. Winstanley's Prospects of Audley End brought 50l. An amusing account of some of the pictures will be found in Mr. Beloe's Anecdotes of Literature and scarce Books, vol. i., 166, 71. But consult also Nichols's Anecdotes of Bowyer, p. 225, &c. Of the catalogue of Dr. Mead's books, there were only six copies printed upon large paper. See Bibl. Lort, no. 1149. I possess one of these copies, uncut and priced. Dr. Mead had parted, in his life-time, to the present king's father, with several miniature pictures of great value (Walpole Anec., vol. i., 165) by Isaac Oliver and Holbein, which are now in his majesty's collection. Dr. Askew had purchased his Greek MSS. for 500l. Pope has admirably well said,

"Rare monkish manuscripts for Hearne alone,
And Books for Mead, and butterflies for Sloane."
Epistle iv.

Upon which his commentator, Warburton, thus observes: "These were two eminent physicians; the one had an excellent library, the other the finest collection in Europe of natural curiosities." For nearly half a century did Dr. Mead pursue an unrivalled career in his profession. He was (perhaps "thrice") presented with the presidentship of the College of Physicians, which he ("thrice") refused. One year it is said he made 7000l., a great sum in his time! His regular emoluments were between 5000l. and 6000l. per annum. He died on the 25th of February, 1754, in the 81st year of his age. On his death, Dr. Askew, who seems to have had a sort of filial veneration for his character, and whose pursuits were in every respect congenial with Dr. Mead's, presented the College of Physicians with a marble bust of him, beautifully executed by Roubilliac, and for which he paid the sculptor 100l. A whimsical anecdote is connected with the execution of this bust. Roubilliac agreed with Dr. Askew for 50l.: the doctor found it so highly finished that he paid him for it 100l. The sculptor said this was not enough, and brought in a bill for 108l. 2s. Dr. Askew paid this demand, even to the odd shillings, and then enclosed the receipt to Mr. Hogarth, to produce at the next meeting of artists. Nichols's Anec. of Bowyer, p. 580. "I cannot help," says Mr. Edwards, the late ornithologist, "informing succeeding generations that they may see the real features of Dr. Mead in this bust: for I, who was as well acquainted with his face as any man living, do pronounce this bust of him to be so like that, as often as I see it, my mind is filled with the strongest idea of the original." Hearne speaks of the Meadean Family with proper respect, in his Alured de Beverly, p. xlv.; and in Walter Hemingford, vol. i., xxxv. In his Gulielmus Nubrigensis, vol. iii., p. 744 (note), he says of our illustrious bibliomaniac:—"that most excellent physician, and truly great man, Dr. Richard Mead, to whom I am eternally obliged." There is an idle story somewhere told of Dr. Mead's declining the acceptance of a challenge to fight with swords—alleging his want of skill in the art of fencing: but this seems to be totally void of authority. Thus far, concerning Dr. Mead, from the first edition of this work, and the paper entitled "The Director." The following particulars, which I have recently learnt of the Mead Family, from John Nicholl, Esq., my neighbour at Kensington, and the maternal grandson of the Doctor, may be thought well worth subjoining. Matthew Mead, his father, was a clergyman. He gave up his living at Stepney in 1662; which was afterwards divided into the four fine livings now in the gift of Brazen-Nose College, Oxford. His parishioners built him a chapel; but he retired to a farm in the country, and had the reputation of handling a bullock as well as any butcher in the county. He went abroad in the reign of James II., and had his sons, Samuel and Richard, educated under Grævius. Samuel Mead, his brother, was a distinguished Chancery barrister, and got his 4000l. per ann.; his cronies were Wilbraham and Lord Harcourt. These, with a few other eminent barristers, used to meet at a coffee-house, and drink their favourite, and then fashionable, liquor—called Bishop, which consisted of red wine, lemon, and sugar. Samuel was a shy character, and loved privacy. He had a good country house, and handsome chambers in Lincoln's Inn, and kept a carriage for his sister's use, having his coachmaker's arms painted upon the panel. What is very characteristic of the modesty of his profession, he pertinaciously refused a silk gown! A word or two remains to be said of our illustrious bibliomaniac Richard. His brother left him 30,000l., and giving full indulgence to his noble literary feelings, the Doctor sent Carte, the historian, to France, to rummage for MSS. of Thuanus, and to restore the castrated passages which were not originally published for fear of offending certain families. He made Buckley, the editor, procure the best ink and paper from Holland, for this edition of Thuanus, which was published at his own expense; and the Doctor was remarkably solicitous that nothing of exterior pomp and beauty should be wanting in the publication. The result verified his most sanguine expectation; for a finer edition of a valuable historian has never seen the light. Dr. Ward, says Mr. Nichols, is supposed to have written Mead's Latin, but the fact is not so; or it is exclusively applicable to the later pieces of Mead. The Doctor died in his 83rd year (and in full possession of his mental powers), from a fall occasioned by the negligence of a servant. He was a great diagnostic physician; and, when he thought deeply, was generally correct in judging of the disorder by the appearance of the countenance.

The tears shed by virtuous bibliomaniacs at Harley's death were speedily wiped away, when the recollection of thine, and of thy contemporary's, Folkes's[382] fame, was excited in their bosoms. Illustrious Bibliomaniacs! your names and memories will always live in the hearts of noble-minded Literati: the treasures of your Museums and Libraries—your liberal patronage and ever-active exertions in the cause of virtu—whether connected with coins, pictures, or books—can never be banished, at least, from my grateful mind:—And if, at this solemn hour, when yonder groves and serpentine walks are sleeping in the quiet of moon-light, your spirits could be seen placidly to flit along, I would burst from this society—dear and congenial as it is—to take your last instructions, or receive your last warnings, respecting the rearing of a future age of bibliomaniacs! Ye were, in good earnest, noble-hearted book-heroes!—but I wander:—forgive me!

[382] "A Catalogue of the entire and valuable library of Martin Folkes, Esq., President of the Royal Society, and Member of the Royal Academy of Sciences at Paris, lately deceased; which will be sold by auction, by Samuel Baker, at his house in York Street, Covent-Garden. To begin on Monday, February 2, 1756, and to continue for forty days successively (Sundays excepted). Catalogues to be had at most of the considerable places in Europe, and all the booksellers of Great Britain and Ireland. Price sixpence." This collection was an exceedingly fine one; enriched with many books of the choicest description, which Mr. Folkes had acquired in his travels in Italy and Germany. The works on natural history, coins, medals, inscriptions, and on the fine arts in general, formed the most valuable department—those on the Greek, Latin, and English classics were comparatively of inferior importance. It is a great pity the catalogue was not better digested; or the books classed according to the nature of their contents. The following prices, for some of the more rare and interesting articles, will amuse a bibliographer of the present day. The chronicles of Fabian, Hall, and Grafton, did not, altogether, bring quite 2l., though the copies are described as perfect and fair. There seems to have been a fine set of Sir Wm. Dugdale's Works (Nos. 3074-81) in 13 vols., which, collectively, produced about 30 guineas! At the present day, they are worth about 250l.—In Spanish literature, the history of South America, by John Duan and Ant. di Ulloa, Madr., fol., in 5 vols., was sold for 5l.: a fine large paper copy of the description of the monastery of St. Lorenzo, and the Escorial, Madr., 1657, brought 1l. 2s.; de Lastanosa's Spanish medals, Huesca, fol., 1645, 2l. 2s.—In English, the first edition of Shakspeare, 1623, which is now what a French bibliographer would say, "presque introuvable," produced the sum of 3l. 3s.; and Fuller's Worthies, 18s.!——Fine Arts, Antiquities, and Voyages. Sandrart's works, in 9 folio volumes (of which a fine perfect copy is now rarely to be met with, and of very great value) were sold for 13l. 13s. only: Desgodetz Roman edifices, Paris, 1682, 4l. 10s. Galleria Giustiniano, 2 vols., fol., 13l. 13s. Le Brun's Voyages in Muscovy, &c., in large paper, 4l. 4s. De Rossi's Raccolta de Statue, &c., Rom., 1704, 6l. 10s. Medailles du Regne de Louis le Grand: de l'Imp. Roy. 1. p. fol., 1702, 5l. 15s. 6d.——The works on Natural History brought still higher prices: but the whole, from the present depreciation of money, and increased rarity of the articles, would now bring thrice the sums then given.—Of the Greek and Latin Classics, the Pliny of 1469 and 1472 were sold to Dr. Askew, for 11l. 11s. and 7l. 17s. 6d. At the Doctor's sale they brought 43l. and 23l., although the first was lately sold (A.D. 1805) among some duplicates of books belonging to the British Museum, at a much lower price: the copy was, in fact, neither large nor beautiful. Those in Lord Spencer's, and the Hunter and Cracherode collections, are greatly superior, and would each bring more than double the price. From a priced copy of the sale catalogue, upon large paper, and uncut, in my possession, I find that the amount of the sale, consisting of 5126 articles, was 3091l. 6s. The Prints, and Drawings of Mr. Folkes occupied a sale of 8 days: and his pictures, gems, coins, and mathematical instruments, of five days. Mr. Martin Folkes may justly be ranked among the most useful, as well as splendid, literary characters, of which this country can boast. He appears to have imbibed, at a very early age, an extreme passion for science and literature; and to have distinguished himself so much at the University of Cambridge, under the able tuition of Dr. Laughton, that, in his 23rd year, he was admitted a Fellow of the Royal Society. About two years afterwards he was chosen one of the council; and rose in succession to the chair of the presidentship, which, as Lysander above truly says, he filled with a credit and celebrity that has since never been surpassed. On this occasion he was told by Dr. Jurin, the Secretary, who dedicated to him the 34th vol. of the Transactions, that "the greatest man that ever lived (Sir Isaac Newton) singled him out to fill the chair, and to preside in the society, when he himself was so frequently prevented by indisposition; and that it was sufficient to say of him that he was Sir Isaac's friend." Within a few years afterwards, he was elected President of the Society of Antiquaries. Two situations, the filling of which may be considered as the ne plus ultra of literary distinction. Mr. Folkes travelled abroad, with his family, about two years and a half, visiting the cities of Rome, Florence, and Venice—where he was noticed by almost every person of rank and reputation, and whence he brought away many a valuable article to enrich his own collection. He was born in the year 1690, and died of a second stroke of the palsy, under which he languished for three years, in 1754. He seems to have left behind him a considerable fortune. Among his numerous bequests was one to the Royal Society of 200l., along with a fine portrait of Lord Bacon, and a large cornelian ring, with the arms of the society engraved upon it, for the perpetual use of the president and his successors in office. The MSS. of his own composition, not being quite perfect, were, to the great loss of the learned world, ordered by him to be destroyed. The following wood-cut portrait is taken from a copper-plate in the Portraits des Hommes Illustres de Denmark, 4to., 7 parts, 1746: part 4th, a volume which abounds with a number of copper-plate engravings, worked off in a style of uncommon clearness and brilliancy. Some of the portraits themselves are rather stiff and unexpressive; but the vignettes are uniformly tasteful and agreeable. The seven parts are rarely found in an equal state of perfection.

Dr. Birch has drawn a very just and interesting character of this eminent man, which may be found in Nichols's Anecdotes of Bowyer, pp. 562-7. Mr. Edwards, the late ornithologist, has described him in a simple, but appropriate, manner. "He seemed," says he, "to have attained to universal knowledge; for, in the many opportunities I have had of being in his company, almost every part of science has happened to be the subject of discourse, all of which he handled as an adept. He was a man of great politeness in his manners, free from all pedantry and pride, and, in every respect, the real, unaffected, fine gentleman."

Alman. Pray keep to this earth, and condescend to notice us mortals of flesh and blood, who have heard of Dr. Mead, and Martin Folkes, only as eminently learned and tasteful characters.

Lysand. I crave your forgiveness. But Dr. Mead's cabinet of coins, statues, and books, was so liberally thrown open for the public inspection that it was hardly possible for modest merit, if properly made known to him, to depart unrewarded or ungratified. Nor does the renowned President of the Royal and Antiquarian Societies—Martin Folkes—merit a less warm eulogy; for he filled these distinguished situations with a credit which has never since been surpassed.

But there is yet an illustrious tribe to be recorded. We have, first, Richard Rawlinson,[383] brother of the renowned Tom Folio, whose choice and tasteful collection of books, as recorded in auctioneering annals, is deserving of high commendation. But his name and virtues are better known in the University, to which he was a benefactor, than to the noisy circles of the metropolis. The sale of Orator Henley's books "followed hard upon" that of Richard Rawlinson's; and if the spirit of their owner could, from his "gilt tub," have witnessed the grimaces and jokes which marked the sale—with the distorted countenances and boisterous laughter which were to be seen on every side—how it must have writhed under the smart of general ridicule, or have groaned under the torture of contemptuous indignation! Peace to Henley's[384] vexed manes!—and similar contempt await the efforts of all literary quacks and philosophical knaves!