NO. £s.d.
241.Epistolæ Beati Jeronimi. Impressio Moguntinæ facta per Virum famatum in hæc arte Petrum Schoiffer de Gernsheym, 2 vols., 1470. A fine specimen of a grand book, superbly bound in blue turkey. Folio.2870
242.Sexti Decretalium Opus præclarum Bonifacii vii., Pont. Max. In Nobili Urbe Moguncia non Atramento è plumali ereâque Pennâ Cannâve per Petrum Schoiffer de Gernsheym consummatum. A.D. 1476. A most beautiful work, superbly bound in blue turkey.19190
253.Constitutiones Clementis Papæ Quinti, unà cum apparatu Domini Joannis Andreæ. Venetiis impress. Ere atque Industriâ Nicolai Jenson Gallici, 1476. A most beautiful specimen of clean vellum, with a fine illumination, bound in purple velvet. Folio.21100
244.Leonora, from the German of Burgher, by Mr. Spencer, with the designs of Lady Diana Beauclerc, 1796. Folio.2540
A beautiful unique copy, with the plates worked on satin, superbly bound in blue turkey.
245.Dryden's Fables, with engravings from the pencil of Lady Beauclerc. A beautiful unique copy, splendidly bound in morocco, with the plates worked on satin.34130
246.Missale Monasticum secundum Ritum et consuetudinem Ordinis Gallæ Umbrosæ. Venetiis, per Ant. de Giunta Florentinum, 1503. A most beautiful copy of a very rare book, with plates and illuminations, bound in morocco. Folio.1336
247.Postilla super Libros N. Testamenti Fratris Nicolai de Lyra. Venet. per Joan. de Colonia et Nic. Jenson, 1481. A fine specimen of beautiful vellum, with illuminations, bound in blue turkey. Folio.17170
248.The German Bible, by Martin Luther, 2 vols. Augspurg, 1535, folio. A most fair, and beautiful copy, with coloured plates, in the finest preservation, and bound in crimson velvet, with two cases.—'The copies on vellum of this fine edition were printed at the charges of John Frederick, Elector of Saxony, (vide Panzer).' Folio.52100
249.Le Livre de Jehan Bocasse de la Louenge et Vertu des nobles et Cleres Dames. Paris, par Ant. Verard, 1493. A beautiful work, with curious illuminations, finely bound in blue turkey. Folio.14140
250.Virgilii Opera curâ Brunck. Argentorati, 1789. An unique copy, bound in morocco, with a case. Quarto.33120
251.Somervile's Chace, a Poem, with fine plates on wood, by Bewick. Printed by Bulmer, 1796. Quarto. A beautiful unique copy, splendidly bound in green, morocco.1546
252.Poems by Goldsmith and Parnell, with fine plates on wood by Bewick. Printed by Bulmer, 1795. A beautiful unique copy, superbly bound in green morocco.15150
253.The Gardens, a poem, by the Abbe de Lisle, with fine plates by Bartolozzi, coloured. Printed by Bensley, 1798. A fine book, and bound in green morocco. Quarto.1436
254.The Castle of Otranto, by the Earl of Oxford. Printed at Parma, 1791. A fine copy elegantly bound in blue morocco. Quarto.1326
255.Coustumes du Pais de Normandie. Rouen, 1588. A beautiful unique copy, on fine white vellum, the presentation copy to the Duke de Joyeuse; in old morocco.1436
256.P. Virgilii Maronis Codex antiquissimus in Bibliotheca Mediceo-Laurentiana. Florent. 1741. A curious facsimile of the old MS. bound in yellow morocco, 4to.17170
257.Junius's Letters, 4 vols., 8vo. Printed by Bensley, 1796. A beautiful unique copy, with the plates also worked on vellum, bound in morocco.2540
258.Il Castello di Otranto, storia Gotica, Lond. 1795. Beautifully printed, with fine cuts, illuminated, bound in morocco.4160
259.Milton's Paradise Regained, Poems, and Sonnets, and Latin Poems, with notes, 3 vols. Printed by Bensley, 1796, 8vo. A unique and beautiful copy, bound in blue turkey.1766
260.La Guirlande de Julie offerte a Mademoiselle de Rambouillet, par le Marq. de Montausier. Paris de l'Imprim. de Monsieur, 1784, 8vo. 'This matchless book is embellished with exquisite miniatures, paintings of flowers, and wreaths of flowers, to illustrate the work, and is one of the most exquisite performances ever produced;' superbly bound in green morocco.
[30 guineas were bidden; but the book was passed on and not sold.]
261.La Vedova, Commedia facetissima di Nic. Buonaparte Cittadino Florentino. Paris, 1803, 8vo. A curious work by an ancestor of the First Consul; a beautiful unique copy, superbly bound in red morocco.440
262.The Old English Baron, a Gothic story, by Clara Reeve, 1794, 8vo. Richly bound in blue turkey.220
263.The Œconomy of Human Life, with fine plates, 1795. A beautiful unique copy, with the plates finely tinted in colours and superbly bound in morocco, 8vo.15150
264.Dr. Benjamin Franklin's Works. Paris, 1795, 8vo. A beautiful unique copy, and bound in crimson velvet.500
265.The Dance of Death. Painted by Holbein, and engraved by Hollar, a beautiful unique copy, with the plates exquisitely painted, and very richly bound in red morocco.17170
266.La Gerusalemme liberata di Torquato Tasso, 4 vols. Parigi Presso Molini, 1783, 8vo. A beautiful copy, bound in green morocco.9196
267.Catullus, Tibullus, et Propertius, 3 vols. Par. ap. Coustelier, 1743, 8vo. A singularly beautiful copy, and bound in old blue turkey.14140
268.Opere Toscane di Luigi Alamanni. Leoni. ap. Gryphia, 1552. A most beautiful copy, presented to King Francis I. of France: old morocco.660
269.A New Testament in German. Augsburg, 1535, 12mo. A fine copy, with illuminations, of a very rare edition.270

Lysander has above noticed the collection of Count M'Carthy of Toulouse. By the kindness of Mr. Roche, banker, at Cork, I learn that this collection 'is a truly splendid one.' The possessor's talents are not confined to the partial walk of bibliography: in his younger years, he was considered one of the first gentlemen-violin players in Europe. He quitted Ireland forty years ago, and now resides at Toulouse, in his 70th year, surrounded by a numerous and respectable family. His leading passion, in book-collecting, (like his countryman's, poor Mr. Quin—who gave 170 guineas for the Spira Virgil of 1470, in membranis!) is marked by a fondness for works printed upon vellum. From Mr. Roche, Mr. Edwards, and other quarters, I am enabled to present the reader with a list of a few of

Count M'Carthy's Books upon Vellum.

Psalmorum Codex;Mogunt.Fust and Schoiffer.Folio, 1457.
—— ——;ibid.apud eosdem.Folio, 1459.
Durandi Rationale;ibid.apud eosdem.Folio, 1459.
Clementis Papæ V. Constitutiones;ibid.apud eosdem.Folio, 1460.
—— —— —— ——;ibid.apud eosdem.Folio, 1467.
Catholicon;ibid.apud eosdem.Folio, 1460.
Biblia Sacra Latina;ibid.apud eosdem.Folio, 1462.
[His Majesty and Earl Spencer possess similar copies ofthese works.]
Franciscus de Retras Comment. Vitiorum; Nuremb.Folio, 1470.
Hieronimi Epistolæ;Mogunt.Fust and Schoiffer.Folio, 1470.
(Another copy: very large thick paper.)
Priscianus de Art. Grammat.Venet.Vin. Spira.Folio, 1470.
(See [p. 407], ante.)
Liber Sextus Decretalium Bonif. Papæ VIII.Mogunt. Folio, 1470.
Guarini Regulæ; Quarto, 1470.
Quintiliani Institutiones;Jenson, Folio, 1471.
Baptista de Alberti de Amore; Quarto, 1471.
—— —— —— de Amoris Remedio: Quarto, 1471.
Biblia in Ling. Volg. Folio, 1471, 2 vols.
Historia Natur. de Plinio tradotto da Landino;Jenson,Venet.1476.
(A similar copy is in Mr. Coke's library at Holkam;illuminated, and in magnificent condition.)
Biblia Sacra Polyglotta; Ximenis;Complut. Folio, 1516, &c., 6 vols.
(See [page 407], ante; for a brief account of thisextraordinary copy.)
Plutarchi Vitæ (Lat.);Venet.N. Jenson.Folio, 1478. vol. 1.
Aristotelis Opera Varia (Lat.);Venet. Folio, 1483. 3 vols.
(This was the Pinelli copy, and was purchased for 73l.10s.)
Statii Achilles;Brixiæ. Folio, 1485.
Chroniques de France, dictes de St. Denys;Paris. Folio, 1493. vol. 2 & 3.
Anthologia Græca;Florent. Quarto, 1494.
Lancelot du Lac;Paris.Verard,Folio, 1494. vol. 2.
Boccace des nobles Malheureux;ibid. Folio, 1494.
Appollonius Rhodius;Florent. Quarto, 1496.
Destruction de Troy le Grant;Paris. Folio, 1498.
Poliphili Hyperonotomachia;Venet. Folio, 1499.
Mer des Histores;Paris. Folio, (no date) 2 vols.
Monstrelet Chronique de;Paris. Folio, (no date) 3 vols.
Roman de la Rose;Paris.Verard.Folio, (no date)
—— de Tristan;ibid.id.(no date)
—— d' Ogier le Danois;ibid.id.(no date)
—— de Melis et Lenin;ibid.id.(no date)

I have heard that Count M'Carthy's books do not exceed 4000 in number; and of these, perhaps, no private collector in Europe has an equal number printed upon vellum. In our own country, however, the finest vellum library in the world might be composed from the collections of His Majesty, the Duke of Marlborough, Earl Spencer, Sir M.M. Sykes, Bart., Mr. Johnes, Mr. Coke, and the Quin collection. Yet let us not forget the finest vellum copy in the world of the first edition of Aristotle's works (wanting one volume) which may be seen in the library of Corpus Christi College, Oxford. Of Mr. Edward's similar copy of the first Livy, Lysander and myself (vide [Part iii.]) have spoken like honest bibliomaniacs. Earl Spencer possesses the rival volume, printed by the same printers, (Sweynheym and Pannartz) and upon the same material, in his Pliny Senior of 1470—But let all quiet bibliomaniacs wait with patience till the work of Mons. Praet upon this subject, alluded to at [p. 68], ante, shall have made its appearance! and then—let us see whether we can prevail upon some Gnome to transport to us, through the 'thin air,' Pynson's 'Ship of Fools' upon vellum!!

Lis. Are we as successful in printing upon vellum as were our forefathers?

Lysand. Certainly not; if we except some of the works from the press of Bodoni—which are oftentimes truly brilliant. But the fault, in general, is rather in the preparation of the vellum than in the execution of the press-work.

Loren. You have seen, Lisardo, my small volumes of 'Heures,' or 'Missals,' as they are called; some of them in MS. and others in print—and what can be more delicate than the texture of the vellum leaves, or more perfect than the execution of penmanship and printing?

Alman. I have often set whole hours, my dear brother, in contemplating with rapture the sparkling radiance of these little volumes; and wish in my heart I had a few favourite authors executed in a similar manner! I should like to employ Bodoni[446] for life.

[446] It is not because Bodoni printed better than our popular printers—that his books upon vellum are more beautiful than those produced by the London presses—but that the Italian vellum (made of the abortive calf) is, in general, more white and delicate. There is not, perhaps, a lovelier little vellum book in existence than the Castle of Otranto, printed by Bodoni in 1796, 8vo. A copy of this, with the plates worked on white satin, was in the collection of Mr. G.G. Mills; and sold at the sale of his books in 1800; no. 181; see [p. 447], ante. From the former authority it would appear that only six copies were printed in this manner. By the kindness of Mr. Edwards, I am in possession of a 'Lettera Pastorale' of Fr. Adeodato Turchi—a small tract of 38 pages—printed upon paper, by Bodoni, in a style of uncommon delicacy: having all the finish and picturesque effect of copper-plate execution. But the chef d'œuvre of Bodoni seems to be an edition of Homer, in three great folio volumes, each consisting of 370 pages, with the text only. The artist employed six years in the preparations, and the printing occupied eighteen months. One hundred and forty copies only were struck off. The copy presented to Bonaparte was upon vellum, of a size and brilliancy altogether unparalleled. American Review, no. 1., p. 171. January, 1811. In our admiration of Bodoni, let us not forget Didot: who printed a single copy of Voltaire's Henriade upon vellum, in quarto, with a brilliancy of execution, and perfection of vellum, which can never be suppassed. This copy formerly belonged to a Farmer General, one of Didot's most intimate friends, who perished in the Revolution. Didot also printed a number of copies of French translations of English works, upon the same material: so correct, beautiful, and tasteful, that Mr. Bulmer assures me nothing could exceed it. All these small richly-feathered birds were once here, but have now taken their flight to a warmer climate. Our modern books upon vellum are little short of being downright wretched. I saw the Life of Nelson, in two large quartos, printed in this manner; and it would have been the first work which I should have recommended a first-rate collector to have thrown out of his library.[G] Many of the leaves were afflicted with the jaundice beyond hope of cure. The censure which is here thrown out upon others reaches my own doors: for I attempted to execute a single copy of my Typographical Antiquities upon vellum, with every possible attention to printing and to the material upon which it was to be executed. But I failed in every point: and this single wretchedly-looking book, had I presevered in executing my design, would have cost me about seventy-five guineas!