At the end of the Volume there is a Tract by Gascoigne, entitled "Certain Notes of Instruction concerning the Making of verses, or Rimes, in English." The Tract is not mentioned in the list of contents on the title, and the four leaves very rarely occur.
| 450 | Marshall's (George) Compendious Treatise, in Metre, declaring the Firste Originall of Sacrifice, and of the buylding of Aultars and Churches, a Poem, extremely rare. Cawood, 1534 | 20 | 10 | 0 |
| 479 | Harvey's (Gabriel) Foure Letters and certaine Sonnets, especially touching Robert Greene and other Parties by him abused. Printed by Wolfe, 1592 | 10 | 10 | 0 |
Gabriel Harvey was the intimate friend of Spenser. The immediate occasion of Harvey's writing these letters was to resent Greene's attack on his Father; but the permanent value of the Volume is the very interesting notices Harvey gives of his literary contemporaries. The work concludes with a Sonnet of Spenser, addressed to Harvey.
| 470 | Meeting of Gallants at an Ordinarie, or the Walkes of Powles, very scarce, 1604. 12mo. | 15 | 15 | 0 |
This scarce and curious little volume is not mentioned by Lowndes. The work commences with a Poetical Dialogue between Warre, Famine, and Pestilence. The Tales of my Landlord then follow, "Where the Fatte Host telles Tales at the upper ende of the Table." Mine host, however, does not have all the conversation to himself. The guests take a very fair share. One of the interlocutors, Gingle-Spur, alludes to one of Shakspeare's Plays. "This was a prettie Comedy of Errors, my round Host."
[I shall place all the Shakspearian Articles consecutively; that the Reader may observe in what a rapid ratio their pecuniary value has increased. Of the sonnets, the Right Hon. Thomas Grenville possesses one copy, and Thomas Jolley, Esq., another. The History of the acquisition of the latter copy is one of singular interest; almost sufficient to add another day to a Bibliographical Decameron. This copy is in pristine condition, and looks as if snatched from the press. Mr. Jolley also possesses a very fine and perfect copy of the first edition of Shakspeare's Works, in folio; but a similar copy, in the library of the Right Honourable Thomas Grenville, will, perhaps, always continue unrivalled.]
| 558 | Shakspeare's Venus and Adonis; unique. Edinburgh, by John Writtoun, and are to bee sold in his shop, a little beneath the Salt Trone, 1627 | 37 | 10 | 0 |
We are always extremely cautious in using the designation unique; but we think we may safely do so upon the present occasion. We have made very extensive inquiries on the subject, and have recently written to David Laing, Esq., Keeper of the Library of the Writers to the Signet, from whom we have received a confirmation of our belief. Beloe, in describing this copy, says "it must be considered as an indubitable proof that at a very early period the Scotch knew, and admired, the genius of Shakspeare." He might have continued, its proceeding from the press of Writtoun, was an additional proof, as he only published small Popular Tracts. Beloe has erroneously given the date 1607, and Lowndes has copied his error. The first books printed by Writtoun were about 1624. His will is printed in the Bannatyne Miscellany. The second edition of this precious Poem, printed in 1596, produced the sum of £91, at the sale of Baron Bolland's library: see [page 591], ante.