A word only:—and that respecting Illustrated Copies. Leaving Mr. Windus in full possession of his Raphael Morghens, William Woollets, William Sharpes, &c.—and allowing him the undisturbed relish of gazing upon, and pressing to his heart's core, his grey Turners—let me only introduce to the reader's critical attention and admiration the [opposite subject], executed by the late Mr. Branston, and exhibiting The Cave of Despair from Spenser's Fairy Queen. The figures were drawn on the blocks by the late J. Thurston, Esq.
Illustrated Copies.
Under the Illustration-Symptom of Bibliomania, a fund of amusing anecdote, as well as of instructive detail, presents itself. We may travel in a carriage and four—from morn 'till night—and sweep county after county, in pursuit of all that is exquisite, and rare, and precious, and unattainable in other quarters: but I doubt if our horses' heads can be turned in a direction better calculated to answer all the ends in view than in front of
RAVENSBURY LODGE, LOWER MITCHAM,
the residence of the late proprietor of this work. There we once beheld such a copy of the best of all existing Encyclopædias—that of the late Dr. Rees—as is no where else to be found. It was upon large and fine paper—bound in fourscore volumes—with separately executed title pages, in a style of pure art—and illustrated with not fewer than ten thousand extra plates. The reader may, and will, naturally enough, judge of the wide, if not boundless, field for illustration—comprehending in fact (as the title of the work denounces) the circle of all knowledge, arts and sciences; but he can have no idea of the manner in which this fertile and illimitable field is filled up, till he gazes upon the copy in question. Here then was not only a reading, but a graphic, Library in itself. Whatever other works profusely dilate upon was here concentrated—and deeply impressed upon the mind by the charm, as well as the intelligence, of graphical ornament. You seemed to want nothing, as, upon the turning over of every leaf, the prodigality of art ennobled, while it adorned, the solidity of the text. You have kept your horses already waiting three hours—and they are neighing and snorting for food: and you must turn them into the stable for suitable provender—for the owner of this production would tell you that you had scarcely traversed through one-third of the contents of the volumes. He orders an additional fowl to be placed on the spit, and an extra flagon of Combe and Delafield's brightest ale to be forth-coming: while his orchard supplies the requisite addenda of mulberries, pears, and apples, to flank the veritable Lafitte. You drink and are merry. Then comes the Argand Lamp; and down with the Encyclopedistic volumes. The plates look brighter and more beautiful. There is no end of them—nor limits to your admiration. Be it summer or winter, there is food for sustenance, and for the gratification of the most exquisite palate. To contemplate such a performance, the thorough-bred book-votary would travel by torch-light through forty-eight hours of successive darkness!...: But the horses are again neighing—for their homes. You must rouse the slumbering post-boy: for "The bell of the church-clock strikes one."
P.S.—The late Mr. Walmsley—who employed me to print this present edition—narrowly watched all our movements, and was much gratified by the appearance of the work, so far as it had gone before his death—frequently urged me to append a short account of the progress of our art during the last thirty years—i.e. since the publication of the former edition of Bibliomania.