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The hand-press and type used by the late Dr. Daniel in the production of the well-known Daniel editions have been presented by Mrs. Daniel to the Bodleian Library. The press has now been set up in the Picture Gallery of the Library with the chase, containing the last pages set up, still in place. A small collection of some of the more interesting books printed on it has been arranged on an adjoining table.
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We recently had the fortune to come across a copy of that very interesting edition of Louise Labé's works, published at Lyons in 1824. Printed at the expense of a local literary society, the edition was limited to 600 copies, a number of which were printed on coloured paper. Our copy was one of the four "coquille rose." One copy exists in which the colour of the paper varies at every sheet.
ITEMS FROM THE BOOKSELLERS' CATALOGUES
Collectors interested in the Restoration Drama will find much in Messrs. Pickering and Chatto's catalogue to engage their attention. Sir William Davenant is represented by First Editions of The Siege of Rhodes (1656), The Cruell Brother (1630), The Unfortunate Lovers (1643). A copy of the first collected edition of Davenant's Works (1673) is offered for sale by Mr. Francis Edwards. Aureng-Zebe (1676), the opera King Arthur (1691), and The Duke of Guise (1683) are all first editions of Dryden. Pordage's Siege of Babylon (first edition, 1678) is priced at £4 4s.; Sir Charles Sedley's Antony and Cleopatra (1677) at £8 8s. Shadwell is well represented by his Virtuoso (first edition, 1676), a comedy that was regrettably not included in the "Mermaid" series reprint of the dramatist's works, The Lancashire Witches (1682), and Bury Fair (1689).
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There are moments when one's literary sense gets the better of one's purely bibliophilous instinct—moments when a profound irritation seizes one that people should be so stupid as to collect books because they are rare and not because they are worth reading. One wonders, for instance, if human labour and ingenuity might not be expended in some more profitable undertaking than the compilation of a catalogue of about one hundred-and-fifty editions of The Picture of Dorian Gray, bibliographically described. Collectors of the works of that second-rate literary man who was the author of this Dorian Gray may be interested to hear that this catalogue is at present being prepared at "The Bungalow," 8 Abercorn Place, London, N.W.8, where they will also find a number of Wilde's books, in every kind and shape of edition, for sale.
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