[397] A Catalogue of the Library of John Henderson, Esq. (late of Covent Garden Theatre), &c. Sold by auction by T. and J. Egerton, on February, 1786, 8vo. Do not let the lover of curious books in general imagine that Henderson's collection was entirely dramatical. A glance at the contents of page 12 to page 22, inclusively, will shew that this library contained some very first-rate rarities. When the dramatic collector enters upon page 23, (to the end of the volume, p. 71) I will allow him to indulge in all the mania of this department of literature, "withouten ony grudgynge." He may also ring as many peals as it pleaseth him, upon discovering that he possesses all the copies of a dramatic author, ycleped George Peele, that are notified at nos. 923-4! Henderson's library was, without doubt, an extraordinary one. As we are upon Dramatic Libraries, let us, for fear Lysander should forget it, notice the following, though a little out of chronological order. "A Catalogue, &c., of the late Mr. James William Dodd, of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, &c. Sold by auction by Leigh and Sotheby, Jan. 19, 1797, 8vo., 2435 lots." There was more of the Drama in this than in Henderson's collection. Mr. Kemble purchased the dearest volume, which was "Whetstone's Promos and Cassandra," 1578, 4to. (no. 2396) for 7l. 10s. Mr. George Nicol (for the late Duke of Roxburgh) kept up a tremendous fire at this sale! Akin to Dodd's, was the "Curious and Valuable Library of George Smyth, Esq.—sold by Leigh and Sotheby, June 2, 1797, 8vo." There were many uncommon books in this collection, exclusively of those appertaining to the Drama; and when I mention, in this latter department—Hughes's Misfortunes of Prince Arthur, &c., printed by Robinson, 1587, 4to. (no. 1376; 16l. 15s.), both the parts of Shakespeare's Henry the Fourth (1599-1600, 4to., nos. 1436-7; 18l. 18s.), his Much Ado about Nothing, 1600, 4to., (no. 1438; 7l. 10s.)—I say enough to sharpen the collector's appetite to obtain, if he have it not, possession of this curious but barbarously printed catalogue. To these, let me add the "Catalogue of a portion of the Library of William Fillingham, Esq., consisting of old quarto plays, early English Poetry, and a few scarce Tracts, &c., sold by Leigh and Sotheby, April 1805, 8vo." The arrangement of this small catalogue is excellent. Many of the books in it are of the rarest occurrence; and, to my knowledge, were in the finest preservation. The collector is no more! He died in India; cut off in the prime of life, and in the midst of his intellectual and book-collecting ardour! He was a man of exceedingly gentlemanlike manners, and amiable disposition; and his taste was, upon the whole, well cultivated and correct. Many a pleasant, and many a profitable, hour have I spent in his "delightsome" library!!!

Lysand. It was; and if you had not reminded me of it, I should have entirely forgotten it. Catalogues of dramatic Libraries, well arranged, are of great service to the cause of the Bibliomania.

Lis. I wish we could procure some act of parliament to induce the dramatic collectors—by a fair remuneration—to give a well analysed account of their libraries. We should then have the Bibliotheca Roxburghiana, Bibliotheca Maloniana, and what say you to the Bibliotheca Kemblëiana.

Lysand. You are running wild. Let me continue my bibliomaniacal history.

We may now advance directly to the exquisite—and shall I say, unparalleled?—library of Major Pearson![398] a gentleman, who has far eclipsed the bibliomaniacal reputation of his military predecessor, General Dormer. This extraordinary collection was sold by auction the very next year ensuing the sale of Dr. Wright's books and so thickly and richly is it sprinkled with the black-letter, and other curious lore—so varied, interesting, and valuable, are the departments into which it is divided—that it is no wonder his present Majesty, the late Duke of Roxburgh, and George Steevens, were earnest in securing some of the choicest gems contained in the same. Such a collection, sold at the present day—when there is such a "qui vive" for the sort of literature which it displays—what would it produce? At least four times more, than its sum total, two and twenty years ago!

[398] If the reader attend only to the above flourishing eulogy, by Lysander, upon the extraordinary collection of Major, or Thomas, Pearson, I fear he will not rise from the perusal of these pages impressed with very accurate notions of the same. To qualify such ardent panegyric, and at the same time to please the hearts of all honest bibliomaniacs, I here subjoin something like a sober analysis of the Bibliotheca Pearsoniana. The title to the Sale Catalogue is as follows: "Biblioth. Pearson. A Catalogue of the Library of Thomas Pearson, Esq. Containing a very extensive Collection of the best and rarest books in every branch of English Literature, &c. Sold by Auction by T. and J. Egerton, in April, 1788," 8vo. Like all the sale catalogues put forth by the Egertons, the present is both judiciously arranged and neatly printed. It is said that there are only twelve copies upon large paper; but I doubt the smallness of this number. My own is of this kind, superbly bound, and priced with a neatness peculiar to the calligraphical powers of the 'forementioned friend. It may not be amiss to prefix an extract from a newspaper of the day; in which this sale was thus noticed: "The Black-lettero-mania, which raged so furiously in the course of last Spring at the Sale of Dr. Wright's Books, has broken out with still greater violence at the present auction of Major Pearson's Library. This assertion may be countenanced by the following examples." Then follow a few specimens of the prices given. The reader is now presented with copious specimens, selected according to their numerical order: the addenda, between inverted commas, being copied from the said newspaper.

NO. £s.d.
1888.Webbe's Discourse of English Poetrie, 1586, 4to.350
"Bought by Mr. Steevens versus Mr. Malone."
1889.Puttenham's Art of English Poesie, 1589, 4to.1120
1900.The fyrst Boke of the Introduction to Knowledge, &c.;Printed by W. Copland, no date, 4to.4150
"By the Rev. Mr. Brand versus Lord Charlemont."
1910.The Castell of Laboure; Emprynted by Pynson, 4to.,no date.220
1926.Dekker's Miscellaneous Pieces, 1604, &c., 4to.220
1932.A curious collection of sundry rare pieces, 4to.340
1951.Drollery's (eleven) 1661, &c., 8vo.566
These droll pieces are now much coveted by knowingbibliomaniacs. Mr. Heber and Mr. Hill have each a copiouscollection of them; and Mr. Gutch of Bristol, a booksellerof great spirit in his trade, and of equal love of generalliterature, recently gratified the curious by exhibiting, inhis catalogue of 1810, a number of "Garlands;" which erenow, have, in all probability, proved a successful bait forsome hungry book fish.
2035.Sir John Harrington's most elegant and witty Epigrams,with portrait, 1618, 8vo.230
2090.Flowers of Epigrammes, &c. Impr. by Shepperd, 1577,12mo.1140
2130.The Paradise of Dainty Devises, &c., printed for E.White, 1600, 4to. The workes of a Young Wit, by N.B. b.l.printed by Thomas Dawson, no date. Watson's Mistresse,&c., and Sonnets, b.l. imperf. Diana, by the Earl andCountess of Oxenford, printed for J. Roberts, wantingtitle, 4to.9126
"Bought by Mr. Steevens versus Mr. Malone."
2131.England's Helicon, 1600, 4to.5100
"By ditto versus ditto."
2147.The Example of Vertu; printed by W. de Worde, 4to.
"Bought by Mr. Mason versus Mr. Malone."
2162.A Mirrour of Mysterie; finely written upon, vellum,with two very neat drawings with pen and ink, 1557, 4to.200
2186.Manley's Affliction and Deliverance of Saints, portr.1652, 8vo.1120
2190.Tragedie of Sir Richard Grenvile, Knt. printed by J.Roberts, 1595, 8vo.0156
2289.Laquei Ridiculosi, or Springes for Woodcocks, by HenryParrot, 1613, 8vo.046
N.B. This little volume was sold for as many guineas at thesale of Mr. Reed's books in 1807.
2373.Lyf of St. Ursula; Impr. by Wynkyn de Worde, nodate, 4to.1100
2374.Lyf and History of Saynt Werburge. Printed byPynson, 1521, 4to.130
N.B. This volume was sold for 18l. 18s. at the lastmentioned sale.
2575.This lot comprehends a cluster of precious littleblack-letter pieces, which were purchased at the sale ofWest's books, by Major Pearson. Eight in the whole: executedbefore the year 1540.3190
2421.The Goodly Garlande, or Chaplet of Laurell, by MaisterSkelton; Impr. by Fawkes, 1523, 4to. See here a long noteupon the rarity and intrinsic worth of this curious littlevolume. "Purchased by Brand versus the King."7176
2710.Ancient Songs and Ballads; written on varioussubjects, and printed between the years 1560 and 1700;chiefly collected by Robert Earl of Oxford, and purchased atthe sale of the library of James West, Esq., in 1773 (for20l.): increased by several additions: 2 volumes bound inRussia leather.2646
"Bought by Mr. Nicol for the Duke of Roxburgh, versusMessrs. Arnold and Ritson." "N.B. The preceding numerous andmatchless collection of Old Ballads are all printed in theblack-letter, and decorated with many hundred wooden prints.They are pasted upon paper, with borders (printed onpurpose) round each ballad: also, a printed title and indexto each volume. To these are added the paragraphs whichappeared in the public papers respecting the above curiouscollection, at the time they were purchased at Mr. West's."Thus far Messrs. Egerton. I have to add that the late Dukeof Roxburgh became the purchaser of these "matchless"volumes. Whilst in Major Pearson's possession, "with theassistance of Mr. Reed, the collection received very greatadditions, and was bound in two very large volumes; in thisstate (says Mr. Nicol,) it was bought by the Duke ofRoxburghe. After the industrious exertions of two suchskilful collectors as Major Pearson and Mr. Reed, the Dukedid not flatter himself with ever being able to add much tothe collection; but, as usual, he undervalued his ownindustry. Finding that his success far exceeded hisexpectations, he determined to add a third volume to thecollection. Among these new acquisitions are some very rareballads; one quoted by Hamlet, of which no other copy isknown to exist." Preface to the Roxburgh Catalogue, p. 5.The ballad here alluded to may be seen in Mr. Evans's recentedition of his father's Collection of Old Ballads; vol.i., p. 7.
3262to 3329. These numbers comprehend a very uncommon andinteresting set of Old Romances! which, collectively, didnot produce 35l.—but which now, would have been soldfor——!?
3330to 4151. An extraordinary collection of the EnglishDrama.

And thus farewell Major Pearson!

Lis. O rare Thomas Pearson! I will look sharply after a large paper, priced, copy of the Bibliotheca Pearsoniana!

Lysand. You must pay smartly for it, if you are determined to possess it.