sance des livres, des formats, des éditions; sur la manière de composer une bibliothéque choisie, classée méthodiquement, etc. Par Gabriel Peignot. Paris, 1800,

8vo.

My knowledge of this work is entirely derived from Peignot's Rep. Bibl. Universel, p. 40, who states it to contain his French translation of Lipsius's Syntagma de Bibliothecis antiquis, (pp. 1-39). It was his first publication, and only a small edition was printed. In the second vol. of his Dict. de Bibliologie, Peignot has given his own system, (translated by Dr. Clarke, Bib. MS. vol. II. pp. 208-218) and has annexed to vol. III. a very elaborate Synoptical Table of Bibliology, on seven large folding pages. Peignot has borrowed the outlines of his plan from the illustrious Bacon, through the medium of D'Alembert and Diderot, in their preface to the Encyclopédie. Bacon divides the operations of the human mind into

MEMORY, whence results History.

Works, vol. i. p. 42, 4to ed. in which these general heads are branched out into numerous subdivisions.

SCHRETTINGER.-Elements of the Knowledge of Libraries, or Instructions relative to the duties of a Librarian, by Martin Schrettinger (in German). Munich, 1808. Part I. pp. 127. 8vo.

Peignot announces this as a very interesting work, but cannot state whether it was ever continued or not.

VALOIS.-Discours sur les Bibliothéques Publiques, par le père de Valois de la compagnie de Jesus, adressé par l'auteur à son eminence, le cardinal Quirini. Brescia, 1751, 8vo.

To this discourse, Peignot says, a letter should be added from cardinal Quirini to father Valois, in 8vo.

SECTION II.

Catalogues, &c. of the principal Foreign Public Libraries, including brief Notices of their Contents.

1. LIBRARIES OF DENMARK.

Petri Scavenii Designatio librorum in qualibet facultate, materia et lingua rariorum, &c. in amorem patriæ, et supplementum instructissimæ bibliothecæ regiæ (Hafniensis) conquisitorum. Hafniæ, 1765, 4to.

Descriptio quorundam cuficorum MSS. partes Corani exhibentium in bibliotheca regia hafniensi, etc. Auctore Jac. Georg. Adler. Altonæ, 1780, 4to.

Udsigt over den gamle manuscript samling i det store kongelige Bibliothek, ved John Erichsen, i. e. A View of the antient collection of MSS. in the king's great library, by John Erichsen, first librarian to his Majesty. Copenhagen, 1786, 8vo.

The king of Denmark has two libraries: the one is called the great or public library, founded by Frederick III.; the other, the king's manual or private library. By different acquisitions, the royal library at Copenhagen is now become, in various respects, one of the most considerable in Europe. It is computed to contain 250,000 vols. MS. and printed books; and a few years since received a most important addition, in the acquisition of the excellent collection of the chancellor, De Suhm, consisting of 100,000 volumes. The printed books comprise numerous specimens of early printing, which are enumerated by the intelligent authors of the Voyage de deux François au nord de l'Europe, (vol. I. p. 236, et seq.) The MSS. contain numerous bibles and biblical authors in

the Hebrew, Chaldee, Greek and Latin languages, few of which have been consulted for critical editions of the scriptures, except those collated for Dr. Kennicott, a very large number of the works of the Fathers, down to the tenth century, as well as of ecclesiastical historians of the middle age, and of the later divines who were contemporary with the Reformation, particularly two large volumes, the autographs of the illustrious Erasmus. Among the class of Biblical and Ecclesiastical History, are several copies of Josephus's works, two only of which were used by Havercamp,-numerous MSS. on the canon law, and splendid missals, of which that formerly belonging to Francis I. from the library of M. Colbert, of the duke de Bourgogne, who was slain before Nancy, and of the cardinal de Bourbon, are particularly deserving of attention from the splendour and beauty of the illuminations. The departments of philosophy, logic, metaphysics, natural history, medicine, &c. comprise the works of Pliny, Hippocrates, Galen, &c. &c. the works of Tycho Brahe, in his own handwriting; four large vols. of plants, beautifully painted on vellum, from nature; this superb work is attributed to Madame Merian, and is in fine preservation. Among the MSS. of classics, are an imperfect one of Livy, of the tenth century, Cicero de Rhetoricâ on vellum, and a very fine Virgil, on vellum, of the tenth century, which was collated by Heyne for his matchless edition of the Roman Bard. There is also a fine collection of Persian, Arabic and Cufic MSS. brought by the celebrated traveller, Niehbuhr from Arabia, at least 250 in number: the Cufic MSS. have been described by professor Adler in the work above noticed. The collection relative to the history of Spain and part of the Indies is very complete; and to the history of England belong seventeen large volumes of documents relative to transactions in the 17th century. But it is in MSS. and printed books, concerning the history and

antiquities of the three northern kingdoms, that the royal libraries at Copenhagen are particularly rich, and especially (since the acquisition of M. de Suhm's noble collection) in Icelandic MSS. and those respecting the history and law of Denmark. Not only do the Icelandic MSS. comprise copies of all those which are to be found elsewhere, but also a very great number of originals, which were collected by M. De Suhim at an immense expense. In concluding this notice of the royal Danish library, it would be unjust not to mention the liberality with which the great or public library is conducted not only is it accessible to every gentleman désirous of being admitted; but also, by express order of his Danish Majesty, characters of note are permitted to take home with them such MSS. or printed books as they wish to study. And, in order to render the establishment as complete as possible, it is enacted, that a copy of every book, printed in the Danish dominions, from the introduction of typography to the present time, shall be bought for the use of this learned repository. See Coxe's Travels in Denmark, chap. iv. Voyage de deux François, tom. i. p. 236, et seq. Analyt. Rev. vol. iii. pp. 1-7.

Henrici Fuiren Bibliotheca Medica, quam patriæ academiæ (hafniensi) legavit. Hafniæ, 1659, 4to.

Johannis Mulenii Bibliotheca, libris rarissimis in quâlibet facultate et materiâ instructa, publicæ academiæ bibliothecæ (hafniensi) donata. Hafniæ, 1670, 4to.

Petri Johannis Resenii Bibliotheca regiæ academiæ hafniensi donata, (ordine materiarum sed sub singulâ formâ disposita), cui præfixa est ejusdem Resenii vita. Hafniæ. 1685, 4to.

Adami Henrici Lakmanni de Codice Bibliothecæ academica hafniensis membranaceo, in quo Adami Bre

mensis opera inscripta fuêre, Dissertatio critico-litteraria. Kiliæ, 1746, 4to.

The library belonging to the University of Copenhagen is chiefly valuable for its Icelandic MSS. They were presented by Arnas Magneas, with the restriction that they should never be printed: notwithstanding this prohibition, however, several of them have been published, either with a Danish or Latin translation, or both. The most considerable Icelandic work, thus printed contrary to the donor's intention, is a History of the Kings of Norway, by Snorro Sturlson, in -three small folio volumes, which was executed at the expense of the hereditary Prince. This library also contains some Runic MSS. Küttner's Travels in Denmark, &c. p. 31.

II. LIBRARIES OF FRANCE.

$1. Libraries at Paris.

There are numerous public libraries in Paris; the access to which is stated to be easy to those who frequent them, whether from idle curiosity, or for laborious research. The most splendid, unquestionably, is the King's Library, lately designated the imperial library, which, during the existence of the French republic, was styled the national library. The following are, the principal publications relative to this matchless collection of MSS. and books.

Royal Library.-Philippi Labbei Nova Bibliotheca MSS. librorum, seu specimen antiquarum lectionum Latinarum et Græcarum in quatuor partes tributarum; cum coronide duplici, poeticâ et librariâ, ac supplementis decem. Paris, 1653, 4to.

We place this catalogue before that of the King's library; it treats on some MSS. which are contained in the latter. Labbe has divided his work into 1. Historical and chrono