[402] A Catalogue of the Library of the late Right Honourable Denis Daly, which will be sold by auction on the first of May, 1792, by James Vallance. Dublin, 8vo. A fac-simile copper-plate of a part of the first psalm, taken from a Bible erroneously supposed to have been printed by Ulric Zell in 1458, faces the title-page; and a short and pertinent preface succeeds it. The collection was choice and elegant: the books are well described, and the catalogue is printed with neatness. The copies on large paper are very scarce. I subjoin, as a curiosity, and for the sake of comparing with modern prices, the sums for which a few popular articles in English History were disposed of.

NO. £s.d.
527.Tyrrell's General History of England, 5 vols. Lond. 1697, fol. "To this copy Mr. Tyrell has made considerable additions in MS. written in a fair hand, which must be worthy of the attention of the learned."1049
533.Rapin's History of England with Tyndal's Continuation, 5 vols. elegantly bound in russia. Lond. 1743-1747, folio. "One of the most capital sets of Rapin extant; besides the elegant portraits of the kings and queens, monuments, medals, &c. engraved for this work, it is further enriched with the beautiful prints executed by Vertue and Houbraken, for Birch's Illustrious Heads." folio.1727
534.Carte's General History of England, 4 vols., fine paper, elegant in russia. Lond. 1747, folio.7193
537.Birch's Lives of Illustrious Persons of Great Britain, with their heads by Houbraken and Vertue; 2 vols. in one, first impression of the plates, imperial paper. Lond. 1743-1751, folio. It is impossible to give a perfect idea of this book: every plate is fine, and appears to be selected from the earliest impressions: it is now very scarce.22150
538.Campbell's Vitruvius Britannicus, with Woolfe's and Gandon's Continuation, 5 vols. large paper, fine impressions of the plates, elegantly bound in morocco, gilt leaves, &c. Lond. 1717-1767, folio.2506
540.Wood's Historia et Antiquitates Oxoniensis, large paper, russia, gilt leaves, &c. Ox. 1674.21610
542.Biographia Britannica, 7 vols. large paper, elegantly bound. Lond. 1747, fol.13130
543.—— —— 4 vols. new edition, elegantly bound in green Turkey. Lond. 1778.7193
545.Mathæi Paris, Monachi Albanensis Angli, Historia Major, a Wats. Lond. 1640, folio.3197
546.Mathæi Westmonasteriensis, Flores Historiarum. Franc. 1601, folio.21610
547.Historiæ Anglicanæ Scriptores Varii, a Sparke. Lond. 1723, folio.256
548.Historiæ Anglicanæ Scriptores X. a Twysden; 2 tom. fol. deaurat. Lond. 1652, folio.4110
549.Rerum Anglicarum Scriptores post Bedam, a Saville, fol. deaurat. Lond. 1596, folio.256
550.Rerum Anglicarum Scriptorum Veterum, a Gale; 3 tom. fol. deaurat. Lond. 1684-91.5139
551.Rerum Britannicarum, Scriptores Vetustiores. Lugd. 1587, folio.180
573.Prynne's Records, 3 vols., with the frontispieces complete, gilt, broad border of gold. Lond. 1666-68. "For an account of this rare and valuable work, see Oldy's British Librarian, page ii. Not more than 70 copies of the first vol. were rescued from the fire of London, 1666." folio.80153

I learn from the nephew of the late Mr. Archer, of Dublin, bookseller, that the late Lord Clare offered 4000 guineas for the collection—which contained only 1441 lots or articles. The offer was rejected. Although the amount of the sale did not exceed 3700l.—according to a rough calculation.

Lis. I do:—and a marvellously fine one it is!

Loren. Well, this was formerly Exemplar Dalyanum. But now proceed. I wished only to convince you that the miasmata (as you call them) of the bibliomaniacal disease had reached our Sister Kingdom. Of Scotland[403]—I know nothing in commendation respecting the Bibliomania.

[403] This is rather a hasty speech, on the part of Lorenzo. The copious and curious catalogues of those booksellers, Messrs. Constable, Laing, and Blackwood—are a sufficient demonstration that the cause of the Bibliomania flourishes in the city of Edinburgh. Whether they have such desperate bibliomaniacs in Scotland, as we possess in London, and especially of the book-auction species—is a point which I cannot take upon me to decide. Certain it is that the notes of their great poet are not deficient in numerous tempting extracts from rare black-letter tomes; and if his example be not more generally followed than it is, the fault must lie with some scribe or other who counteracts its influence by propagating opinions, and recommending studies, of a different, and less tasteful, cast of character. I am fearful that there are too many politico-economical, metaphysical, and philosophical miasmata, floating in the atmosphere of Scotland's metropolis, to render the climate there just now favourable to the legitimate cause of the Bibliomania.

I had nearly forgotten to mention, with the encomiums which they merit, the select, curious, and splendid collections of the Chauncys:[404] very able scholars, and zealous bibliomaniacs. Many a heavy-metalled competitor attended the sale of the Bibliotheca Chauncyana; and, I dare say, if such a collection of books were now sub hastâ——

[404] A Catalogue of the elegant and valuable Libraries of Charles Chauncy, M.D. F.R.S. and F.S.A.; and of his brother, Nathaniel Chauncy, Esq., both deceased: &c. Sold by auction by Leigh and Sotheby, April, 1790, 8vo.: 3153 articles.

NO. £s.d.
99.Booke of Raynarde the Foxe, morocco, gilt leaves,London by Thomas Gaultier, 1550, 8vo.230
108.Merie Tales by Master Skelton, Poet Laureat; imprintedby Thomas Colwell; no date, 12mo.160
109.The Pleasunt Historie of Lazarillo de Tormes, by DavidRouland; impr. at London, by Abel Jeffes, 1586, 12mo.0110
112.The Newe Testament, corrected by Tyndal, withexhortations by Erasmus; gilt leaves, 1536, 12mo.526
113.More's Utopia, by Robynson; impr. by Abraham Veale,12mo. (1551.)080
"N.B. In this are the passages which have been left out inthe later editions." (But the reader may be pleased toexamine my edition of this translation of the Utopia; 1808,2 vols., 8vo., see vol. i., p. clix.)
119.The Epidicion into Scotland of the most woorthelyfortunate Prince Edward, Duke of Somerset, Uncle unto ourmost noble sovereign, &c., Edward the VIth; imprinted byGrafton; 1548, 8vo.2180
(At the sale of Mr. Gough's books in 1810, a fine copy ofthis work was sold for 10l. 10s.)
362.Ben Jonson his Volpone, or the Foxe; morocco, giltleaves, 1607, 4to.400
"In this book is this note written by Ben Jonson himself.'To his loving father, and worthy friend Mr. John Florio:the ayde of his Muses. Ben Jonson seales this testimony offriendship and love.'"
384.Nychodemus's Gospell, morocco, gilt leaves, empryntedat London, by Wynkyn de Worde, 1511, 4to.220
388.Oxford and Cambridge Verses; in blue and red morocco,gilt leaves, with gold tassels, 13 vols., 1617, &c., fol.2126
572.Caius of English Dogges, the diversities, the names,the natures, and the properties, by Fleming; imprinted atLondon by Richard Johnes, 1576, 4to.5100
592.The Life and Death of the merry Devill of Edmonton,with the pleasant Prancks of Smug the smith, Sir John, andmine Host of the George, about the stealing of Venison,frontispiece, 4to.1100
599.Speculum Xristiani, corio turcico, impress. London, p.Willelmum de Machlinia ad instanciam nec non expensasHenrici Urankenburg, mercatoris, sine anno vel loco,circa, 1480, 4to.1100
599.A Hundreth Sundrie Flowers, bounde up in one smallpoesie, gathered in the fyne outlandish gardins ofEuripides, Ovid, Petrake, Aristo, and others. London, 4to.1120
1669.The Recuile of the Historie of Troie; imprynted1553, by William Copland, folio250
1670.The Pastyme of People. The Chronicles of dyversRealmys, and most specyally of the Realme of Englond,brevely compylyd and emprynted in Chepesyde at the sygne ofthe Mearmayde, next Polly's Gate (made up with MS.) morocco,gilt leaves, folio9140
1684.Cunningham's Cosmographical Glasse. Lond. printed byDaye, 1559, fol.5156
(I conclude that it had the portrait.)
2932.Ptolomæi Cosmographie; cum tab.georgr.illum. Impress. in Membranis, 1482, fol.14140
2933.Virgilii Opera: Impres. in Membram. Venet. ap.Barthol. Cremonens, 1472, fol. (Two leaves on vellum in MS.very fairly written)4310
Purchased by the late Mr. Quin.
2934.Plinii Hist. Naturalis; Venet. 1472, folio. Impres.in Membranis. The first leaf illuminated on very finevellum paper. Note in this book: "This book, formerly LordOxford's, was bought by him of Andrew Hay for 160 guineas."6520
Purchased by Mr. Edwards.

There was also a magnificent copy of Pynson's first edition of Chaucer's Works, in folio, which is now in the collection of Earl Spencer.