[434] Lysander would not have run on in this declamatory strain, if it had been his good fortune, as it has been mine, to witness the extraordinary copy of an illustrated Shakspeare in the possession of Earl Spencer; which owes its magic to the perseverance and taste of the Dowager Lady Lucan, mother to the present Countess Spencer. For sixteen years did this accomplished Lady pursue the pleasurable toil of illustration; having commenced it in her 50th, and finished it in her 66th year. Whatever of taste, beauty, and judgment in decoration—by means of portraits, landscapes, houses, and tombs—flowers, birds, insects, heraldic ornaments, and devices,—could dress our immortal bard in a yet more fascinating form, has been accomplished by the noble hand which undertook so Herculean a task—and with a truth, delicacy, and finish of execution, which have been rarely equalled! These magnificent volumes (being the folio edition printed by Bulmer) are at once beautiful and secured by green velvet binding, with embossed clasps and corners of solid silver, washed with gold. Each volume is preserved in a silken cover—and the whole is kept inviolate from the impurities of bibliomaniacal miasmata, in a sarcophagus-shaped piece of furniture of cedar and mahogany. What is the pleasure experienced by the most resolute antiquary, when he has obtained a peep at the inmost sarcophagus of the largest pyramid of Egypt, compared with that which a tasteful bibliomaniac enjoys upon contemplating this illustrated Shakespeare, now reposing in all the classical magnificence and congenial retirement of its possessor?—But why do I surpass Lysander in the warmth and vehemence of narration! And yet, let me not forget that the same noble owner has another illustrated copy of the same bard, on a smaller scale, of which mention has already been made in my account of the donor of it, the late George Steevens. Turn, gentle reader, for one moment, to [page 428], ante. The illustrated Clarendon, above hinted at by Lysander, is in the possession of Mr. H.A. Sutherland; and is, perhaps, a matchless copy of the author: every siege, battle, town, and house-view—as well as portrait—being introduced within the leaves. I will not even hazard a conjecture for how many thousand pounds its owner might dispose of it, if the inclination of parting with it should ever possess him. The British Museum has recently been enriched with a similar copy of Pennant's London, on large paper. Prints and drawings of all descriptions, which could throw light upon the antiquities of our metropolis, are inserted in this extraordinary copy, which belonged to the late Mr. Crowles; who expended 2000l. upon the same, and who bequeathed it, in the true spirit of virtû, to the Museum. Let Cracherode and Crowles be held in respectful remembrance!
There is another mode of illustrating copies by which this symptom of the Bibliomania may be known; it consists in bringing together, from different works, [including newspapers and magazines, and by means of the scissars, or otherwise by transcription] every page or paragraph which has any connexion with the character or subject under discussion. This is a useful[435] and entertaining mode of illustrating a favourite author; and copies of works of this nature, when executed by skilful hands, should be deposited in public libraries; as many a biographical anecdote of eminent literary characters is preserved in consequence. I almost ridiculed the idea of an Illustrated Chatterton, 'till the sight of your friend Bernardo's copy, in eighteen volumes, made me a convert to the utility that may be derived from a judicious treatment of this symptom of the Bibliomania: and indeed, of a rainy day, the same bibliomaniac's similar copy of Walton's Complete Angler affords abundant amusement in the perusal.
[435] Numerous are the instances of the peculiar use and value of copies of this kind; especially to those who are engaged in publications of a similar nature. Oldys's interleaved Langbaine (of Mr. Reed's transcript of which a copy is in the possession of Mr. Heber) is re-echoed in almost every recent work connected with the belles-lettres of our country. Oldys himself was unrivalled in this method of illustration; if, exclusively of Langbaine, his copy of Fuller's Worthies [once Mr. Steevens', now Mr. Malone's. See Bibl. Steevens, no. 1799] be alone considered! This Oldys was the oddest mortal that ever wrote. Grose, in his Olio, gives an amusing account of his having "a number of small parchment bags inscribed with the names of the persons whose lives he intended to write; into which he put every circumstance and anecdote he could collect, and from thence drew up his history." See Noble's College of Arms, p. 420. Thus far the first edition of this work; p. 64. It remains to add that, whatever were the singularities and capriciousness of Oldys, his talents were far beyond mediocrity; as his publication of the Harleian Miscellany, and Raleigh's History of the World, abundantly prove. To the latter, a life of Raleigh is prefixed; and the number of pithy, pleasant, and profitable notes subjoined shew that Oldys's bibliographical talents were not eclipsed by those of any contemporary. His British Librarian has been more than once noticed in the preceding pages: vide p. [51], [468]. There is a portrait of him, in a full-dressed suit and bag-wig, in one of the numbers of the European Magazine; which has the complete air of a fine gentleman. Let me just observe, in elucidation of what Lysander above means by this latter mode of illustrating copies, that in the Bodleian library there is a copy of Kuster's edition of Suidas filled, from beginning to end, with MS. notes and excerpts of various kinds, by the famous D'Orville, tending to illustrate the ancient lexicographer.
Lis. Forgive me, if I digress a little. But is not the knowledge of rare, curious, and beautiful Prints—so necessary, it would seem, towards the perfecting of illustrated copies—is not this knowledge of long and difficult attainment?
Lysand. Unquestionably, this knowledge is very requisite towards becoming a complete pupil in the school of Granger.[436] Nor is it, as you very properly suppose, of short or easy acquirement.
[436] Granger's Biographical History of England was first published, I believe, in 1769, 4to., 2 vols. It has since undergone four impressions; the last being in 1804, 8vo., 4 vols. A Continuation of the same, by the Rev. Mark Noble, was published in 1807, 8vo., 3 vols.: so that if the lover of rare and curious prints get possession of these volumes, with Ames's Catalogue of English Heads, 1748, 8vo.; and Walpole's Catalogue of Engravers, 1775, 8vo.; Bromley's Catalogue of Engraved Portraits, 1793, 4to.; together with Catalogues of English Portraits, being the collections of Mr. Barnard, Sir W. Musgrave, Mr. Tyssen, Sir James-Winter Lake; and many other similar catalogues put forth by Mr. Richardson and Mr. Grave; he may be said to be in a fair way to become master of the whole arcana of Print-collecting. But let him take heed to the severe warning-voice uttered by Rowe Mores, in his criticism upon the Catalogue of English Heads, published by Ames: 'This performance (says the splenetic and too prophetic critic) is not to be despised: judiciously executed, a work of this sort would be an appendage entertaining and useful to the readers of English biography; and it ought to be done at the common labour, expense, and charges of these Iconoclasts—because their depredations are a grand impediment to another who should attempt it: and if this goût for prints and thieving continues, let private owners and public libraries look well to their books, for there will not remain a valuable book ungarbled by their connoisseuring villany: for neither honesty nor oaths restrain them. Yet these fanciers, if prints themselves are to be collected, instead of being injurious to every body, might make themselves serviceable to posterity, and become a kind of medalists (who, by the bye, are almost as great thieves as themselves, though the hurt they do is not so extensive, as it lies chiefly among themselves, who all hold this doctrine, that "exchange is no robbery;" but, if they could filch without exchanging, no scruple of conscience would prevent them): we say they might render themselves useful to posterity, by gathering together the historical, political, satyrical, anecdotal and temporal pieces, with which the age abounds; adding an explanation of the intent and meaning for the instruction and amusement of times to come. The misfortune is, they must buy the one, but they can steal the other; and steal they will, although watched with the eyes of Argus: unless the valuables, like some other jocalia, are shewn to them through a grate; and even then, the keeper must be vigilant!' Of English Founders and Foundries; p. 85. This extract is curious on account of the tart, but just, sentiments which prevail in it; but, to the bibliomaniac, it is doubly curious, when he is informed that only eighty copies of this Typographical Treatise (of 100 pages—including the Appendix) were printed. The author was a testy, but sagacious, bibliomaniac, and should have been introduced among his brethren in [Part V]. It is not, however, too late to subjoin the following: Bibliotheca Moresiana. A Catalogue of the Large and Valuable Library of Printed Books, rare old tracts, Manuscripts, Prints, and Drawings, Copper Plates, sundry Antiquities, Philosophical Instruments, and other Curiosities, of that eminent British Antiquary, the late Rev. and learned Edward Rowe Mores, F.A.S., deceased, &c. Sold by auction by Mr. Patterson, August 1779. This collection exhibited, like its owner, a strange mixture of what was curious, whimsical, and ingenious in human nature. There were 2838 lots of printed books. The rare old black-letter books and tracts, begin at p. 52.
Alman. How so? A very little care, with a tolerably good taste, is only required to know when a print is well engraved.
Lysand. Alas, Madam! the excellence of engraving is oftentimes but a secondary consideration!
Belin. Do pray explain.
Lysand. I will, and as briefly and perspicuously as possible.