PREFACE.

THE Library, the most important part of which is described in these volumes, is the result of nearly fifty years of collection by a man whose taste for curious books was thoroughly innate.

Henry Huth was born in the year 1815, and being destined by his father to enter the Indian Civil Service, was sent for preparation to Mr. Rusden's school at Leith Hill, in Surrey, where he soon became a favourite pupil. Here he learned Latin, Greek, and French (Spanish was his mother-tongue); and had also got well on with Hindustani, Persian, and Arabic, when, in 1833, the East India Company lost their charter, and his father took him away from the school. While yet a school-boy, he had taken a great and spontaneous interest in natural science, especially in physics and chemistry: all his pocket-money was devoted to the necessary purchase of apparatus, and sometimes he sold his old school-books for the same purpose. On one of these occasions, however, his attention was captivated by a work of Gervase Markham's, which he bought instead of the chemicals. Soon after, his father, finding him reading a book on chemistry, procured him a regular teacher; and thus his pocket-money was set free to be nearly all spent on his new and lasting fancy for curious books.

In 1833 he was sent abroad, first to the United States, then Mexico, France, and Germany; and in all these countries he made a few slight additions to his collection, but was especially lucky in Mexico, where he had several opportunities of securing rare Spanish books.

In 1849 he returned to England to become a partner in his father's house; and from this time the real growth of the library dates. His youthful collection, which he had left behind him carefully packed up, was examined, and most of the books rejected; but some few remain in the library to this day. He now first began the practice, which he continued all his life, of visiting, on his usual walk home from the City,

the chief dealers in rare books, who soon learned to reserve for his inspection all the choicest and most interesting volumes, whether printed or manuscript, that came into their hands. Occasionally, too, he gave commissions to an agent to buy for him at important sales, and particularly made large purchases at the sale of Mr. George Daniel's library, and that of the Rev. T. Corser. As his name began to get known among bibliophiles, he naturally received constant offers of rare books from all the most important cities of Europe; though, from the difficulty of ascertaining the real condition of the volumes offered, he rarely made purchases in this way.

A glance at the classified index to this Catalogue will convey a better idea than any description of the general character of the library. It will be seen that, though no branch of literature was excluded, it was strongest in the early English, particularly the poetical and dramatic, in early voyages and travels, and in early Spanish and German books. There were only two rules which my father particularly observed: Firstly, that every book he bought should be in a language he could read—a rule which was relaxed only in a few instances of volumes of extraordinary interest; and, secondly, that every book should be in as fine and perfect a condition as obtainable -illuminated manuscripts especially he never bought if imperfect. That these rules were carefully carried out, the Catalogue itself will show. He collated every book himself before he added it to his collection, during the only time at his disposal, between ten and one o'clock at night, and on Sundays when in London; and then only in such time as he could spare from the study of the chief works of the day.

About fifteen years ago, finding that his library was becoming unmanageable without a catalogue, he began to compile one himself. Not that he found any difficulty in laying his hand on any volume he required, but that he found it difficult to recollect the exact editions of many of his books; and consequently had much trouble, when medi

engaged the assistance of Mr. W. C. Hazlitt and Mr. F. S. Ellis, the former undertaking the English, the latter the cataloguing of all works in any other language. In consequence of many unavoidable interruptions, this Catalogue was not finished until the year 1876, when it was at once sent to press; but, as every sheet was most carefully revised by my father during his short intervals of leisure, the work necessarily advanced very slowly so that by December, 1878, when he died, he had only revised up to sheet 5 U, or rather more than onehalf of the work. Since then Mr. Ellis, in whose hands the care of editing the work had been from the time it was first put to press, has carried it on alone, and he therefore may be regarded as the responsible editor.

The points to which special attention has been given are, the accuracy and fulness of the titles, and the careful collation of nearly every book. In some cases Mr. Ellis has slightly extended my father's plan-as, for example, in printing the extremely curious elegy on Richard Burbage from an early MS. (pp. 1161-64), and in giving, for the first time in English, the important and valuable collation of De Bry's Voyages. But on the whole, the work has been finished in strict accordance with the plan originally laid down by my father, and in a manner which I feel sure will convince all who have occasion to consult it, that Mr. Ellis has found it more a labour of love than a task.

ALFRED H. HUTH.

A

CATALOGUE OF THE LIBRARY

OF

HENRY HUTH.

A., H. The Scovrge of Venvs, or, the Wanton Lady. With the Rare Birth of Adonis. Written by H. A. London Printed by Nicholas Okes Dwelling neere Holborne-bridge. 1613. Sm. 8vo. O. M.

A-C in eights, title on A 3 (A 1—2 having probably been blank). In six-line stanzas. The bookseller, in his address to the Reader, avers that he was ignorant who was the real author of this poem, a paraphrase from Ovid; but he had heard, he states, "'twas done for his pleasure, without any intent of an impression."

From the libraries of Sir Francis Freeling and Mr. Corser, the latter of whom reviews it in "Collectanea," part i. pp. 2-6. Of this, the first edition, no other copy is known. It was reprinted in 1614 and 1620. In the edition of 1614, the book, though the same, is said to be "enlarged and corrected by H. A.,” and in the edition of 1620, the author's initials are given as A. H.

It appears from the preface to Heywood's "Brazen Age," that the author's name was Henry Austin; see p. 689 of this Catalogue.

A., J. Breeden-raedt aende vereenichde Nederlandsche Provintien. Gelreland. Holland. Zeeland. Utrecht. Vriesland. Over-Yssel. Groeningen. Gemaect ende gestelt uyt diverse ware en waerachtige memorien door I. A. Tot Antwerpen. 1649. 4to. BR. M.

A., P. Vox Clamantis: Or an Essay for the Honour, Happiness, and Prosperity of the English Gentry, and the whole Nation: In the promoting Religion and Vertue, and the Peace both of Church and State. By P. A. Gent. Verbum Sat' Sapienti. London, Printed by John Playford in Little-Brittain, for Benjamin Cooke 1684. Sm. 8vo.

A, 5 leaves, including a blank leaf before the title, and the Errata: B-H in eights, last leaf blank. Dedicated to Sir John Moore, Alderman of London, whom the writer eulogizes as the grand instrument in the composure of dissensions in Church and State. This little volume seems to be unrecorded, and the present copy may have belonged to the author, as it has some important MS. additions to the Errata in a contemporary hand.

B