" the Rev. Daniel Williams, late of Christ Church, Oxford, by Messrs. Leigh and Sotheby; three days, July 13-15; lots 837, vols. 1290. Miscellaneous collection by Messrs. King and Lochée; five days, July 12-16; lots 1248, vols. 3150. Library of Sir Patrick Blake, the Heraldic MSS. of the - late William Latham, Esq. and the Diplomatic MSS. of the Earl of Halifax, by Messrs. Leigh and Sotheby; four days, July 20-3; lots 854, vols. 2510. Library of Mr. J. Mathews, of Goodman's-Fields, by Messrs. King and Lochée; four days, July 25-28; lots 1027, vols. 9880 Library of the late Walter Hill, Esq. of Ross, Herefordshire, by Messrs. Leigh and Sotheby; two days, August 2,3; lots 406, vols. 1120. Miscellaneous collection by Messrs. King and Lochée ; seven days, August 22-30; lots 1732, vols. 4930. Miscellaneous collection by Messrs. King and Lochée ; four days, September 26-29; lots 1076, vols. 3130. Miscellaneous collection by Messrs. King and Lochées five days, October 10-14; lots 1210, vols. 3110. Library of the late Col. Fullarton, F. R. S. and M. P. for the county of Ayr, by Messrs. Leigh and Sotheby; four days, October 10-13; lots 1048, vols. 2130. Miscellaneous collection by Messrs. King and Lochée; four days, October 17-21; lots 1057, vols, 2124. The second-hand stock in trade of Messrs. Bristow and Cowtan, Booksellers, Canterbury, by Mr. King, Jun.; seven days, October 19-26; lots 1650, vols. 10,900). Miscellaneous collection, the property of Mr. John Walker; seven days, October 27-November 3; lots 1835, vols. 2550. In the last six months 80,654 volumes have been disposed of. A year has now elapsed since the account of auctions usually attended by literary characters first commenced, and notices notices have been given of sixty-four sales where the aggregate of volumes amount to 177,430. For many years it has been usual to average three volumes to a lot, an average that now ceases to be a proper ratio. Those who consult old catalogues, when the loiter of the morning was to view, and the amusement of the evening to purchase, can easily distinguish the variation. The principle of reading becoming inverted, by creeping back to converse with our ancestors, in their own idiom, has preserved the black letter, (which used to pass in piles unregarded as the refuse of a library,) until every article appears like a single brilliant. This increase of value abolished the general average, and rendered the proportion of a modern library not more than two volumes to a lot; thus, for the year, Messrs. Leigh and Sotheby sold 27,082 lots, 50,186 vols. Messrs. King and Lochée sold 25,008 lots, 60,603 vols. The last number was particularly swelled by the extraordinary collection of Mr. J. Mathews, of Goodman's-Fields, whose reading was universal. To gratify an unsatiable appetite, he purchased soiled copies and imperfect works to an incredible accumulation: their condition may be best conjectured from the circumstance of about twenty lots containing above seven thousand volumes. By subtracting his fortuitous numbers, it will leave the ratio as above stated. Such collections render nugatory all systematic computation, and the like effect may be pointed out as to collectors. Above two hundred persons have been known to purchase at the sale of a library, and at another period the number has not exceeded fifty in the disposing of a more extensive collection. Again, the year commenced with the library of Mr. Reed; many of the books therein have since repeatedly passed the hammer in the above sales; and are still, like birds of passage, wandering from bookseller to bookseller, and dragged from auction-room to auction-room, uncertain of of a resting place. To consider circumstances like these, must suggest the impracticability of giving definitive numbers. To quail over "The Miscries of Human Life," has lately afforded universal amusement. A slight retrospect of the history of a volume, gives birth to a variety of characters to excite the lucubration of an essayist. Composed under the severe pressure of want; earnest solicitude attending and tedious promulgation at the press; presentation to a patron; placed unread amidst 10,000; sketch of the learned visitors to the library, who often dreamed near it, but never dosed over it; neglected for near two centuries; further sketch of modern visitors who never looked beyond the title page; unexpected escape from a dormant state by the pilfering of a chairwoman; saved by a reading barber from a Vandalistic cheesemonger; fortunately discovered by a noted bibliopolist, and purchased for sixpence; suspence of the hammer and contention of collectors; final regeneration, according to the new cant of an auction, being bound out of sheets under the immediate inspection of the most renowned Emperor of Morocco; a Roger Payne, Kalthoeber, Herring, or M'Kinlay, names that crowd into catalogues in rivalship of a Warton, Locke, Dryden, or Shakespeare; and must descend to posterity with modern libraries, like heir looms to a family mansion. Conduit street. J. H. Among the splendid libraries forthcoming for sale, may be noticed the genuine and entire collection of the late John Madd.son, Esq. of the foreign department in the post-office, which is eminently rich in Classics, and French, Italian, and German literature. For rare and fine copies of sterling old editions, it will rival the most eminent sales of the last twenty years. It will be sold in February next, by Messrs. King and Lochee. ART. ART. XX. Bibliographical Catalogue. Art.1. A true discourse of the most happy victories obtayned by the French King, against the Rebels and enemies of his maiesty. With a particuler declaration of all that hath beene done betweene the two armies, during the monthes of September and October and part of Nouember 1589. Also of the taking of the subburbes of Paris by the King. Here vnto is adioyned a Mappe, wherein is set forth the whole platforme of the Battells, for the better satisfying of the curteous reader. Faithfully translated out of French into English, according to the coppy imprinted at Tours. By T. D. London, printed for J. Woolfe, and E. White. 1589. 4to. 10 leaves. T. D. must have been the initials of the original author. The translation has a short dedicatory epistle "to the right Honourable Lord Robert Deuorax, Earle of Essex and Ewe, Viscount of Harryford, and Bourchier, Lord Ferrers of Chartley, Burchier and Louaine, maister of the Queenes maiesties Horse, and Knight of the most honourable order of the garter: [to whom] Luke Wealsh wisheth all heauenly happinesse, and increase of honourable vertue," and says, "in respect of your honourable and magnanimous minde,! your hardinesse in warres, and hatred to rebellion sondrie times manifested to your eternall and well deserued praise, as also to declare my well affected hart to your honour, I haue chosen you the patrone of this warlike discourse.”—The next leaf entitles Luke Wealsh to a niche in the Bib. Poetica by eight six-line stanzas; from which are transcribed the last four. They are entitled "certain verses written by master Wealsh as a thankesgiuing vnto God, for the pros. perous successe of the king." "Thou, Thou, O France! whose fame in former daies, How oft in thee did God his wonders raise, What grieuous tumultes in thy townes are wrought ? But praysed be our God of greatest power, By diuers tokens warned was of sinne; As many men affirme and plainely shoe, Then cease your iarres obey your soueraigne Lord, Who can confirme these blessings in an howre. The victories narrated are those obtained by Henry IV. in support of his accession to the crown of France after that sanguinary conflict of the three Henries. In the army were "certaine Englishe lords well mounted and armed, and most sumptuously attired; among the rest the noble gentleman maister d'Euerax, brother to the right honorable Earle of Essex, who was one of the formost and forwardest in the fight." Elizabeth assisted with money and provisions as well as troops: four thousand English had "Lord Wil longhbie. |