PREFACE. THIS Library is the result of a pursuit which I have followed with uninterrupted ardour for more than half a century. My maternal grandfather, with whom I passed a considerable portion of my youth, was very fond of books, of which he had a considerable number. I presume that his example inspired me with a taste for them. But whether that be so or not, I very early acquired, and have continued faithful to that taste. For a lengthened period the means which I could with propriety devote to the purchase of books were very limited. I have seldom, however, confined myself strictly within these means, but have usually appropriated a larger share of my income to their purchase than should, perhaps, due regard being had to other claims, have been devoted to that object. Their acquisition has been a business in which I have always taken the greatest interest; it has not palled upon me for a single moment; and their possession, besides the gratification it has afforded, has been so far useful that it has enabled me to finish works of much research and labour without either resorting to public libraries, or borrowing books. When young I was a great reader of history and geography, and my earliest efforts in book-buying were principally directed to the acquisition of the ordinary and cheapest books on these subjects. But as the sphere of my knowledge began to expand, so did my taste for different varieties of literature. I had early the advantage, or disadvantage, I do not venture to say which, of being left to follow those studies, and read those books which I preferred, and to chalk out pursuits for myself. After I had the good fortune to They were sold by auction in the country, and brought a mere trifle. I have not one of them. 102203 become possessed of greater, though still limited means, I began to please myself with the idea of forming a select yet comprehensive library. And though the prospect of this idea being realized to any considerable extent, when it first began to be entertained, was extremely faint, the present Catalogue shows that perseverance has pretty well overcome some of the more formidable difficulties in its way. Though in many respects very deficient, I believe that this Library will be found to contain a valuable assortment of the best and most useful books in literature and general science in the English and French languages, with a fair selection of Classics, and a sprinkling of Italian and Spanish authors. The collection of books on Political Economy, the study of which has been the principal business of my life, comprises most part of the works of any value in that science. But neither in that nor in any other department have I bought books because they happened to be scarce. Unless they had something else than rarity to recommend them, they have not been inquired for by me. Neither have I sought to acquire early editions, or what are called black-letter books. But I acknowledge myself to be an ardent admirer of well-printed handsome volumes. I have cared little for large paper editions. But books from the presses of the Elzevirs, Barbou, Foulis, and other great artists, have always been objects of my solicitude, and I have not hesitated to enrich my shelves with sundry copies of the same works, when they could boast of such illustrious parentage. I also confess to the folly, if such it be, of being no less an admirer of well-bound than of well-printed books. In this respect, indeed, as in the love of books in general, I am only a humble follower of my great economical chief. Adam Smith had an extensive and choice collection of books, which he held in the highest estimation, and which, for the most part, were extremely well bound. He was accustomed to say that, if in nothing else, he was “a beau in his books." It is, no doubt, very easy to ridicule the taste for fine books, and their accumulation in extensive libraries. But it is not more easy than to ridicule the taste for whatever is most desirable, as superior clothes, houses, furniture, and accommodations of every sort. A taste for improved or fine books is one of the least equivocal marks of the progress of civilization; and is as much to be preferred to a taste for those that are coarse and ill got up, as a taste for the pictures of Reynolds or Turner is to be preferred to a taste for the daubs that satisfy the vulgar. A man acts foolishly if he spend more money on books or anything else than he can afford; but the folly will be increased, not diminished, by his spending it on mean and common, rather than on fine and uncommon works. The latter when sold invariably bring a good price, more perhaps than was paid for them, whereas the former either bring nothing, or next to nothing. I have seldom neglected any opportunities, of which I could avail myself, to substitute superior for the inferior copies of books in my possession. This, indeed, is the only way in which it seems to be practicable to acquire a collection of books in good or fine condition. It may not, perhaps, be difficult to find the books, provided you are content to take them in the state in which they are usually found. But it is quite a different matter, if you wish to have select or choice copies. These are always scarce, and sometimes of very great rarity. And though there be no books in this Collection, or, if any, very few, that have cost extravagant prices, yet they are, speaking generally, in remarkably good order; and will, in that respect, I believe, be surpassed by few collections of about the same extent. It will be to no purpose to look in this Catalogue for expensive works of county and natural history. I cared little for either the one or the other. And though it had been otherwise, the deficiency of ways and means would have been an effectual obstacle to my indulging a taste for them. To this cause may also be ascribed the fewness of the works on the fine arts here to be met with. The passion for books, like that for most other things, may be said, when carried beyond certain limits, to become a vice. And despite the compulsory abstinence now referred to, most people to whom I have been known may probably be inclined to think that in my case it has not unfrequently passed these limits. But I am unwilling to admit that such has been the case; that a pursuit which has yielded me so much gratification has been injurious. I allow that it has absorbed too large a portion of my moderate means; but, perhaps, had it not existed, or been less powerful, I might have been seduced into other and not more profitable pursuits, and which might have been less pleasant in the retrospect. On the whole, I am disposed to conclude that my hobby has been advantageous rather than otherwise. Gibbon says that in forming his library he soon adopted the tolerating maxim of the elder Pliny, nullum esse librum tam malum ut non ex aliquâ parte prodesset. But in this respect I have not followed the example set by the historian. I have endeavoured to find out the books that bore the highest character in the different departments of literature and science; and of these, when I bought any, I endeavoured to select the best or most useful editions. It appears to me to be bad husbandry to purchase whole sacks of chaff for the sake of the few grains of wheat they may chance to contain. The extraction of the latter costs more than they are worth. I have not aimed at the collection of a large, but rather of a choice library. In compiling this Catalogue I have not, in so far as I am aware, followed in the wake of any former collector. The books are arranged partly and principally in alphabetical order and partly in classes. But the principal feature is the notices of the books. These are most commonly of a critical, but sometimes, also, of a bibliographical character. The former usually consist of short notices setting forth the merits or demerits of the works to which they are applicable. I have anxiously endeavoured to render them just and true; but farther than this I have had no fixed rule or plan. I have not given them when, perhaps, they were most necessary; but only when I fancied they might be useful, or that I had something pertinent to quote or to say. What I have said has been expressed shortly, but without being parsimonious of praise or censure, when it appeared that either was deserved. I have compiled this Catalogue partly for my own satisfaction, but principally that it might form some memorial of this Collection after it has been, as it most probably will be, broken up and dispersed. I hope it may have the good fortune to be approved by those who may look into it, and I leave it to their indulgent appreciation. ABBOTT'S Treatise of the Law relative to Shipping, &c. See Maritime Law, Works on. ABEILLARD: La Vie de Pierre Abeillard, Abbé de S. Gildas, et celle d'Héloïse son Epouse. 12mo. 2 vols. Paris, 1728. See Berington. ABERCROMBIE Inquiries concerning the Intellectual Powers and the Investigation of Truth, by John Abercrombie, M.D., F.R.S.E. 8vo. 4th ed. Edinburgh, 1833. Calf, ex. ABRÉGÉS CHRONOLOGIQUES, Collection of, viz. :— Ab. Chron. de l'Histoire de la France, par M. Henault, 6me édition. 12mo. 2 vols. Paris, 1761. La même corrigée et augmentée par Walcknaer, avec une continuation. 8vo. 6 vols. Paris, 1821. "Ces dernières années n'ont-elles pas produit le seul livre de chronologie dans lequel on ait jamais peint les mœurs des hommes, le caractère des cours et des siècles? ouvrage qui, s'il était sèchement instructif, comme tant d'autres, serait le meilleur de tous, et dans lequel l'auteur a trouvé encore le secret de plaire; partage réservé au très-petit nombre d'hommes qui sont supérieurs à leurs ouvrages."(Voltaire, Mélanges Littéraires.) Histoire du Droit Publique d'Allemagne, par M. Pfeffel. 12mo. 2 vols. Paris, 1777. Histoire des Grands Fiefs de la Couronne de France (par Brunet). 12mo. Paris, 1759. Histoire Ecclésiastique (par Macquer). 12mo. 3 vols. Paris, 1768. Histoire du Nord, par M. Lacombe. 12mo. 2 vols. Paris, 1762. Histoire d'Espagne et de Portugal, par MM. Macquer et Lacombe. 12mo. 2 vols. Paris, 1765. Histoire Ancienne des Empires et des Républiques, par Lacombe. 12mo. Paris. 1767. Histoire Ottomane, par M. De La Croix. 12mo. 2 vols. Paris, 1768. Histoire Romaine (République), par Macquer. 12mo. Paris, 1756. Histoire des Empereurs (Romains), par Ad. Richer. 12mo. 2 vols. Paris, 1754. Histoire Universelle. 12mo. Paris, 1757. Histoire de l'Italie, par De St. Marc. 12mo. 6 vols. Paris, Histoire des Juifs, (par Charbuy.) 12mo. (scarce). Paris, 1759. Histoire des Papes, depuis St. Pierre jusqu'à Clément XIV. (par A |