Dyson." The article is thus described in Bibl. Smith, _ibid._; "115 Six several catalogues of all such books, touching the state ecclesiastical as temporal of the realm of England, which were published upon several occasions, in the reigns of K. Henry the viith and viiith, Philip and Mary, Q. Elizabeth, K. James, and Charles I., collected by Mr. H. Dyson: out of whose library was gathered, by Mr.

Smith, a great part of the rarities of this catalogue." A catalogue of the books sold in the reign of Hen. VII. would be invaluable to a bibliographer! Let me add, for the sake of pleasing, or rather, perhaps, tantalising my good friend Mr. Haleswood, that this article is immediately under one which describes "_An Ancient MS. of Hunting_, IN VELLUM (wanting something) _quarto_." I hear him exclaim--"Where is this treasure now to be found?" Perhaps, upon the cover of a book of Devotion!]

I have incidentally mentioned the name of RICHARD SMITH.[357] Such a bibliomaniac deserves ample notice, and the warmest commendation. Ah, my Lisardo! had you lived in the latter days of Charles II.--had you, by accident, fallen into the society of this indefatigable book-forager, while he pursued his book-rounds in _Little Britain_--could you have listened to his instructive conversation, and returned home with him to the congenial quiet and avocations of his book-room--would you, however caressed St. James's, or even smiled upon by the first Duchess in the land--have cared a rush for the splendours of a Court, or concentrated your best comforts in a coach drawn by six cream-coloured horses? Would you not, on the contrary, have thought with this illustrious bibliomaniac, and with the sages of Greece and Rome before him, that "in books is wisdom, and in wisdom is happiness."

[Footnote 357: From the address To the Reader, prefixed to the Catalogue of RICHARD SMITH'S books, which was put forth by Chiswel the bookseller, in May 1682, 4to.--the bibliomaniac is presented with the following interesting but cramply written, particulars relating to the owner of them: "Though it be needless to recommend what to all intelligent persons sufficiently commend itself, yet, perhaps, it may not be unacceptable to the ingenious to have some short account concerning _This so much celebrated, so often desired, so long expected, Library_, now exposed to sale.

The gentleman that collected it was a person infinitely curious and inquisitive after books; and who suffered nothing considerable to escape him, that fell within the compass of his learning; for he had not the vanity of desiring to be master of more than he knew how to use. He lived to a very great age, and spent a good part of it almost entirely in the search of books. Being as constantly known every day to walk his rounds through the shops as he sat down to meals, where his great skill and experience enabled him to make choice of what was not obvious to every vulgar eye. He lived in times which ministered peculiar opportunities of meeting with books that are not every day brought into publick light; and few eminent libraries were bought where he had not the liberty to pick and choose. And while others were forming arms, and new-modelling kingdoms, _his_ great ambition was to become master of a good BOOK.

Hence arose, as that vast number of his books, so the choiceness and rarity of the greatest part of them; and that of all kinds, and in all sorts of learning," &c. "Nor was the owner of them a meer idle possessor of so great a treasure: for as he generally _collated_ his books upon the buying of them (upon which account the buyer may rest pretty secure of their being perfect) so he did not barely turn over the leaves, but observed the defects of impressions, and the ill arts used by many; compared the differences of editions; concerning which, and the like cases, he has entered memorable, and very useful, remarks upon very many of the books under his own hand: Observations wherein, certainly, never man was more diligent and industrious. Thus much was thought fit to be communicated to publick notice, by a gentleman who was intimately acquainted both with Mr.

Smith and his books. _This excellent library will be exposed by auction, and the sale will begin on Monday the 15th day of May next, at the auction house, known by the name of_ THE SWAN, _in Great St. Bartholomew's Close, and there continue, day by day, the five first days of every week, till all the books be sold._" In this catalogue of Richard Smith's books, the sharp-eyed bibliomaniac will discover twelve volumes printed by CAXTON; which collectively, produced only the sum of 3_l._ 7_s._ 5_d._ The price of each of these volumes has been already given to the public (_Typog. Antiq._, vol i., p. cxxxii.) I suppose a thousand guineas would _now_ barely secure perfect copies of them! The catalogue itself is most barbarously printed, and the arrangement and description of the volumes such as to damn the compiler "to everlasting fame." A number of the most curious, rare, and intrinsically valuable books--the very insertion of which in a bookseller's catalogue would probably now make a hundred bibliomaniacs start from their homes by star-light, in order to come in for the _first pickings_--a number of volumes of this description are huddled together in one lot, and all these classed under the provoking running title of "_Bundles of Books_," or "_Bundles of sticht Books_!" But it is time to bid adieu to this matchless collection. Leaving the virtuoso "to toil, from rise to set of sun" after W.

Sherwin's "extra rare and fine" portrait of the collector, which will cost him hard upon ten pounds (see _Sir William Musgrave's Catalogue of English Portraits_, p. 92, no.

82), and to seize, if it be in his power, a copy of the catalogue itself, "with the prices and purchasers' names"

(vide _Bibl. Lort._, no. 1354). I proceed to attend upon Lysander: not, however, without informing him that Strype (_Life of Cranmer_, p. 368), as well as Hearne (_Liber Niger Scaccarii_, vol. ii., p. 542), has condescended to notice the famous library of this famous collector of books, RICHARD SMITH!]

LIS. In truth I should have done even more than what your barren imagination has here depicted. Smith's figure, his address, his conversation, his library--

LOREN. Enough--peace! There is no end to Lisardo's _fruitful_ imagination. We are surfeited with the richness of it. Go on, dear Lysander; but first, satisfy a desire which I just now feel to be informed of the period when _Sales of Books, by Auction_, were introduced into this country.

LYSAND. You take _that_ for granted which remains [Transcriber's Note: missing 'to' in original] be _proved_: namely, my ability to gratify you in this particular. Of the precise period when this memorable revolution in the sale of books took place I have no means of being accurately informed: but I should think not anterior to the year 1673, or 1674; for, in the year 1676, to the best of my recollection, the catalogue of the Library of Dr. SEAMAN was put forth; to which is prefixed an address to the reader, wherein the custom of selling books by auction is mentioned as having been but of recent origin in our country.[358] It was, however, no sooner introduced than it caught the attention, and pleased the palates, of bibliomaniacs exceedingly: and Clavel, a bookseller, who published useful catalogues of books to be sold in his own warehouse, retorted in sharp terms upon the folly and extravagance which were exhibited at book auctions. However, neither Clavel nor his successors, from that period to the present, have been able to set this custom aside, nor to cool the fury of book-auction bibliomaniacs--who, to their eternal shame be it said, will sometimes, from the hot and hasty passions which are stirred up by the poisonous miasmata floating in the auction-room, give a sum twice or thrice beyond the real value of the books bidden for! Indeed, I am frequently amused to see the vehemence and rapture with which a dirty little volume is contended for and embraced--while a respectable bookseller, like PORTIUS, coolly observes across the table--"I have a better copy on sale at one third of the price!"

[Footnote 358: A part of the address "To the Reader," in the catalogue above-mentioned by Lysander, being somewhat of a curiosity, is here reprinted in its unadulterated [Transcriber's Note: remainder of sentence missing in original]

"Reader,

"It hath not been usual here in England to make _Sale of Books by way of Auction or who will give most for them_: But it having been practised in other countreys to the advantage both of buyers and sellers, it was therefore conceived (for the encouragement of learning) to publish the sale of these books this manner of way; and it is hoped that this will not be unacceptable to schollers: and therefore, methought it convenient to give an advertisement concerning the manner of proceeding therein. _First_, That having this catalogue of the books, and their editions, under their several heads and numbers, it will be more easie for any person of quality, gentleman, or others, to depute any one to buy such books for them as they shall desire, if their occasions will not permit them to be present at the auction themselves." The _second_ clause is the usual one about _differences_ arising. The _third_, about discovering the imperfections of the copies before they are taken away. The _fourth_, that the buyers are to pay for their purchases within one month after the termination of the auction. The _fifth_, that the sale is to begin "punctually at 9 o'clock in the morning, and two in the afternoon; and this to continue daily until all the books be sold; wherefore it is desired that the gentlemen, or those deputed by them, may be there precisely at the hours appointed, lest they should miss the opportunity of buying those books which either themselves or their friends desire." As this is the earliest auction catalogue which I have chanced to meet with, the _present_ reader may probably be pleased with the following specimens, selected almost at random of the prices which were given for books at a public sale, in the year 1676.

_In Folio._ PHILOLOGISTS.

_s._ _d._

Pet. Heylyn's Cosmographie, Lond. 1652. 14 0 Io. Stow's Annals, or Chronicles of England, &c. ibid., 1631. 15 0 Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy, Oxon, 1638. 6 0 Geo. Withers, his Emblems; illustrated with brass figures, 1635. 8 6 Os. Gabelhower's book called the Dutch Physic, Dort, 1579. 3 0

p. 12.

_In Quarto._ PHILOLOGIE.

The Royal Passage of her Majesty, from the } tower to Whitehall, Lond., 1604. } The Vision of the Goddesses, a mask by the } Queen and her Ladies, 1604. } King James his Entertainment through the city } of London, ibid. } A particular Entertainment of the Queen and } Prince, 1608. } The magnificent Entertainment of King James, } Queen Anne, and Prince Henry Frederick, 1604. } Her Majesties speech to both Houses of } Parliament, 1604. } _s._ _d._ Vox Coeli, or News from Heaven, 1624. } 5 0 An experimental Discovery of the Spanish } Practises, 1623. } Tho. Scotts aphorisms of State, or secret } articles for the re-edifying the Romish } Church, 1624. } The Tongue Combat between two English } Souldiers, 1621. } Votivae Angliae, or the Desires and Wishes of } England, 1624. } A book of Fishing, with hook and line, and } other instruments, 1600. }

p. 63.

Now a-days, the last article alone would pr duce [Transcriber's Note: produce]--shall I say _nine_ times the sum of the whole? But once more:

_In Octavo._ PHILOLOGISTS.

Rob. Crowley's Confutation and Answer to a } wicked ballade of the abuse of the } sacrament of the altar, 1548. } Philargyne, or Covetousness of Great Britain, } 1551. } A Confutation of 13 articles of Nicol Sharton's, } 1551. } The Voice of the last Trumpet, blown by the } seventh angel, 1550. } _s._ _d._ Rob. Crowley's four last things. } 3 2 A petition against the oppressors of the poor } of this realm, 1550. } A supplication of the poor Commons, 1550. } Piers Plowman Exhortation to the Parliament, } and a New-Year's gift, 1550. } The Hurt of Sedition to the Commonwealth, 1549. }

To continue the _History of Book Auctions_, a little further. Two years after the preceding sale, namely, in 1678, were sold the collections of Dr. MANTON, Dr. WORSLEY, and others. In the address to the Reader, prefixed to Manton's catalogue, it would seem that this was the "_fourth_ triall" of this mode of sale in our own country.

The conditions and time of sale the same as the preceding; and because one Briggs, and not one Cooper, drew up the same, Cooper craves the reader's "excuse for the mistakes that have happened; and desires that the saddle may be laid upon the right horse." In this collection there is a more plentiful sprinkling of English books; among which, Dugdale's Warwickshire, 1656, was sold for 1_l._ 6_s._; and Fuller's Worthies for the same sum. The "Collections of Pamphlets, bound together in Quarto," were immense. Dr.

Worsley's collection, with two others, was sold two months afterwards; namely, in May, 1678: and from the address "To the Reader," it would appear that Dr. Manton's books brought such high prices as to excite the envy of the trade.

Worsley's collection was sold at 9 and 2, the usual hours "at the house over against the hen and chickens, in Pater-Noster Row." The venders thus justify themselves at the close of their address: "We have only this to add in behalf of ourselves; that, forasmuch as a report has been spread that we intend to use indirect means to advance the prices, we do affirm that it is a groundless and malicious suggestion of some of our own trade, envious of our undertaking: and that, to avoid all manner of suspicion of such practice, we have absolutely refused all manner of commissions that have been offered us for buying (some of them without limitation): and do declare that the company shall have nothing but candid and ingenuous dealing from

JOHN DUNMORE.

RICHARD CHISWEL."

At this sale, the Shakspeare of 1632 brought 16_s._; and of 1663, 1_l._ 8_s._

In the November and December of the same year were sold by auction the books of VOET, SANGAR, and others, and from the preface to each catalogue it would seem that the sale of books by auction was then but a recent, yet a very successful, experiment; and that even collections from abroad were imported, in order to be disposed of in a like manner.]

LIS. From what you say, it would appear to be wiser to lay out one's money at a bookseller's than at a book-auction?

LYSAND. Both methods must of necessity be resorted to: for you cannot find with the one what you may obtain at the other. A distinguished collector, such as the late Mr. Reed, or Mr. Gough, or Mr. Joseph Windham, dies, and leaves his library to be sold by auction for the benefit of his survivors. Now, in this library so bequeathed, you have the fruits of book-labour, collected for a long period, and cultivated in almost every department of literature. A thousand radii are concentrated in such a circle; for it has, probably, been the object of the collector's life to gather and to concentrate these radii. In this case, therefore, you must attend the auction; you must see how such a treasure is scattered, like the Sibylline leaves, by the winds of fate. You must catch at what you want, and for what you have been a dozen years, perhaps, in the pursuit of. You will pay dearly for these favourite volumes; but you have them, and that is comfort enough; and you exclaim, as a consolation amidst all the agony and waste of time which such a contest may have cost you,--"Where, at what bookseller's, are such gems now to be procured?" All this may be well enough. But if I were again to have, as I have already had, the power of directing the taste and applying the wealth of a young collector--who, on coming of age, wisely considers books of at least as much consequence as a stud of horses--I would say, go to Mr. Payne, or Mr. Evans, or Mr. Mackinlay, or Mr. Lunn, for your Greek and Latin Classics; to Mr. Dulau, or Mr. Deboffe, for your French; to Mr.

Carpenter, or Mr. Cuthell, for your English; and to Mr. White for your Botany and rare and curious books of almost every description. Or, if you want delicious copies, in lovely binding, of works of a sumptuous character, go and drink coffee with Mr. Miller, of Albemarle Street--under the warm light of an Argand lamp--amidst a blaze of morocco and russia coating, which brings to your recollection the view of the Temple of the Sun in the play of Pizarro! You will also find, in the vender of these volumes, courteous treatment and "gentlemanly notions of men and things." Again, if you wish to speculate deeply in books, or to stock a newly-discovered province with what is most excellent and popular in our own language, hire a vessel of 300 tons'

burthen, and make a contract with Messrs. Longman, Hurst, and Co., who are enabled, from their store of _quires_, which measure 50 feet in height, by 40 in length, and 20 in width, to satisfy all the wants of the most craving bibliomaniacs. In opposition to this pyramid, enter the closet of Mr. Triphook, jun., of St. James's Street--and resist, if it be in your power to resist, the purchase of those clean copies, so prettily bound, of some of our rarest pieces of black-letter renown!

LOREN. From this digression, oblige us now by returning to our bibliomaniacal history.

LYSAND. Most willingly. But I am very glad you have given me an opportunity of speaking, as I ought to speak, of some of our most respectable booksellers, who are an ornament to the cause of THE BIBLIOMANIA.

We left off, I think, with noticing that renowned book-collector, Richard Smith. Let me next make honourable mention of a "_par nobile fratrum_" that ycleped are NORTH. The "Lives" of these men, with an "Examen" (of "Kennet's History of England"), were published by a relative (I think a grandson) of the same name; and two very amusing and valuable quarto volumes they are! From one of these Lives, we learn how pleasantly the LORD KEEPER used to make his meals upon some one entertaining Law-volume or another: how he would breakfast upon _Stamford_,[359] dine upon _Coke_, and sup upon _Fitzherbert_, &c.; and, in truth, a most insatiable book appetite did this eminent judge possess. For, not satisfied ("and no marvel, I trow") with the foregoing lean fare, he would oftentimes regale himself with a well-served-up course of the _Arts_, _Sciences_, and the _Belles-Lettres_!

[Footnote 359: These are the words of LORD KEEPER NORTH'S Biographer: "There are of Law-Books, institutions of various sorts, and reports of cases (now) almost innumerable. The latter bear most the controversial law, and are read as authority such as may be quoted: and I may say the gross of law lecture lies in them. But to spend weeks and months wholly in them, is like horses in a string before a loaden waggon. They are indeed a careful sort of reading, and chiefly require common-placing, and that makes the work go on slowly. His LORDSHIP therefore used to mix some institutionary reading with them, as after a fulness of the reports in a morning, about noon, to take a repast in _Stamford_, _Compton_, or the Lord _Coke's_ Pleas of the Crown and Jurisdiction of Courts, _Manwood_ of the Forest Law, _Fitzherbert's_ Natura Brevium; and also to look over some of the Antiquarian Books, as _Britton_, _Bracton_, _Fleta_, _Fortescue_, _Hengham_, _the old Tenures Narrationes Novae_, the old _Natura Brevium_, and the Diversity of Courts. These, at times, for change and refreshment, being books all fit to be known. And those that, as to authority, are obsoleted, go rounder off-hand, because they require little common-placing, and that only as to matter very singular and remarkable, and such as the student fancies he shall desire afterwards to recover. And, besides all this, the day afforded him room for a little History, especially of England, modern books, and Controversy in Print, &c. In this manner he ordered his own studies, but with excursions into _Humanity_ and _Arts_, beyond what may be suitable to the genius of every young student in the law." _Life of Lord Keeper Guildford_, pp.

18, 19. _North's Lives_, edit. 1754, 4to.]

His brother, Dr. JOHN NORTH, was a still greater _Helluo Librorum_; "his soul being never so staked down as in an old bookseller's shop."

Not content with a superficial survey of whatever he inspected, he seems to have been as intimately acquainted with all the book-selling fraternity of _Little-Britain_ as was his contemporary, Richard Smith; and to have entered into a conspiracy with ROBERT SCOTT[360]--the most renowned book vender in this country, if not in Europe--to deprive all bibliomaniacs of a chance of procuring rare and curious volumes, by sweeping every thing that came to market, in the shape of a book, into their own curiously-wrought and widely-spread nets. Nay, even Scott himself was sometimes bereft of all power, by means of the potent talisman which this learned Doctor exercised--for the latter, "at one lift," would now and then sweep a whole range of shelves in Scott's shop of every volume which it contained. And yet how whimsical, and, in my humble opinion, ill-founded, was Dr. North's taste in matters of typography! Would you believe it, Lisardo, he preferred the meagre classical volumes, printed by the _Gryphii_, in the italic letter, to the delicate and eye-soothing lustre of the _Elzevir_ type--?

[Footnote 360: "Now he began to look after books, and to lay the foundation of a competent library. He dealt with Mr.

ROBERT SCOTT, of _Little-Britain_, whose sister was his grandmother's woman; and, upon that acquaintance he expected, and really had from him, useful information of books and their editions. This Mr. Scott was, in his time, the greatest librarian in Europe; for, besides his stock in England, he had warehouses in Francfort, Paris, and other places, and dealt by factors. After he was grown old, and much worn by multiplicity of business, he began to think of his ease and to leave off. Whereupon he contracted with one Mills, of St. Paul's Church-yard, near 10,000 deep, and articled not to open his shop any more. But Mills, with his auctioneering, Atlasses, and projects, failed, whereby poor Scott lost above half his means: but he held to his contract of not opening his shop, and when he was in London (for he had a country house), passed most of his time at his house amongst the rest of his books; and his reading (for he was no mean scholar) was the chief entertainment of his time. He was not only an expert bookseller, but a very conscientious good man; and when he threw up his trade, Europe had no small loss of him. Our Doctor, at one lift, bought of him a whole set of Greek Classics in folio, of the best editions.

This sunk his stock at that time; but afterwards, for many years of his life, all that he could (as they say) rap or run, went the same way. But the progress was small; for such a library as he desired, compared with what the pittance of his stock would purchase, allowing many years to the gathering, was of desperate expectation. He was early sensible of a great disadvantage to him in his studies, by the not having a good library in his reach; and he used to say that a man could not be a scholar at the second-hand: meaning, that learning is to be had from the original authors, and not from any quotations, or accounts in other books, for men gather with divers views, and, according to their several capacities, often perfunctorily, and almost always imperfectly: and through such slight reading, a student may know somewhat, but not judge of either author or subject. He used to say _an old author could not be unprofitable_; for although in their proper time they had little or no esteem, yet, in after times, they served to interpret words, customs, and other matters, found obscure in other books; of which A. Gellius is an apt instance. He courted, as a fond lover, all _best editions, fairest character, best bound and preserved_. If the subject was in his favour (as the Classics) he cared not how many of them he had, even of the same edition, if he thought it among the best, either _better bound_, _squarer cut_, _neater covers_, or some such qualification caught him. He delighted in the small editions of the Classics, by Seb. Gryphius; and divers of his acquaintance, meeting with any of them, bought and brought them to him, which he accepted as choice presents, although perhaps he had one or two of them before. He said that the _black italic_ character agreed with his eye sight (which he accounted but weak) better than any other print, the old Elzevir not excepted, whereof the characters seemed to him more blind and confused than those of the other.

Continual use gives men a judgment of things comparatively, and they come to fix on that as most proper and easy which no man, upon cursory view, would determine. _His soul was never so staked down as in an old bookseller's shop_; for having (as the statutes of the college required) taken orders, he was restless till he had compassed some of that sort of furniture as he thought necessary for his profession. He was, for the most part, his own factor, and seldom or never bought by commission; which made him lose time in turning over vast numbers of books, and he was very hardly pleased at last. I have borne him company at shops for hours together, and, minding him of the time, he hath made a dozen proffers before he would quit. By this care and industry, at length, he made himself master of a very considerable library, wherein the choicest collection was _Greek_." There is some smartness in the foregoing observations. The following, in a strain of equal interest, affords a lively picture of the _bookselling trade_ at the close of the 17th century: "It may not be amiss to step a little aside, to reflect on the vast change in the trade of books, between that time and ours. Then, _Little-Britain_ was a plentiful and perpetual emporium of learned authors; and men went thither as to a market. This drew to the place a mighty trade; the rather because the shops were spacious, and the learned gladly resorted to them, where they seldom failed to meet with agreeable conversation. And the booksellers themselves were knowing and conversible men, with whom, for the sake of bookish knowledge, the greatest wits were pleased to converse. And we may judge the time as well spent there, as (in latter days) either in tavern or coffee-house: though the latter hath carried off the spare hours of most people. But now this emporium is vanished, and trade contracted into the hands of two or three persons, who, to make good their monopoly, ransack, not only their neighbours of the trade that are scattered about town, but all over England, aye, and beyond sea too, and send abroad their circulators, and, in that manner, get into their hands all that is valuable. The rest of the trade are content to take their refuse, with which, and the fresh scum of the press, they furnish one side of a shop, which serves for the sign of a bookseller, rather than a real one; but, instead of selling, dealing as factors, and procure what the country divines and gentry send for; of whom each hath his book factor, and, when wanting any thing, writes to his bookseller, and pays his bill. And it is wretched to consider what pickpocket work, with help of the press, these demi-booksellers make. They crack their brains to find out selling subjects, and keep hirelings in garrets, at hard meat, to write and correct by the great (qu. groat); and so puff up an octavo to a sufficient thickness, and there's six shillings current for an hour and a half's reading, and perhaps never to be read or looked upon after. One that would go higher must take his fortune at blank walls, and corners of streets, or repair to the sign of Bateman, Innys, and one or two more, where are best choice and better pennyworth's. I might touch other abuses, as bad paper, incorrect printing, and false advertising; all which, and worse, is to be expected, if a careful author is not at the heels of them." Life of the Hon. and Rev. Dr. John North.

_North's Lives_, edit. 1744, 4to., p. 240, &c. At page 244, there is a curious account of the doctor's amusing himself with keeping spiders in a glass case--feeding them with bread and flies--and seeing these spiders afterwards quarrel with, and destroy, each other--"parents and offspring!"]

LIS. "_De gustibus_--" you know the rest. But these Norths were brave bibliomaniacs! Proceed, we are now advancing towards the threshold of the eighteenth century; and the nearer you come to it, the greater is the interest excited.

LYSAND. Take care that I don't conclude with the memorable catalogue-burning deed of your father! But I spare your present feelings.

All hail to the noble book-spirit by which the _Lives of Oxford-Athenians_, and the _Antiquities of Oxford University_, are recorded and preserved beyond the power of decay![361] All hail to thee, OLD ANTHONY A-WOOD! May the remembrance of thy researches, amidst thy paper and parchment documents, stored up in chests, pews, and desks, and upon which, alas! the moth was "feeding sweetly," may the remembrance of these thy laborious researches always excite sensations of gratitude towards the spirit by which they were directed! Now I see thee, in imagination, with thy cautious step, and head bowing from premature decay, and solemn air, and sombre visage, with cane under the arm, pacing from library to library, through gothic quadrangles; or sauntering along the Isis, in thy way to some neighbouring village, where thou wouldst recreate thyself with "pipe and pot." Yes, Anthony! while the _Bodleian_ and _Ashmolean_ collections remain--or rather as long as Englishmen know how to value that species of literature by which the names and actions of their forefathers are handed down to posterity, so long shall the memory of thy laudable exertions continue unimpaired!

[Footnote 361: The name and literary labours of ANTHONY WOOD are now held in general, and deservedly high, respect: and it is somewhat amusing, though not a little degrading to human nature, to reflect upon the celebrity of that man who, when living, seems to have been ridiculed by the proud and flippant, and hated by the ignorant and prejudiced, part of his academical associates. The eccentricities of Wood were considered heretical; and his whims were stigmatized as vices. The common herd of observers was unable to discover, beneath his strange garb, and coarse exterior, all that acuteness of observation, and retentiveness of memory, as well as inflexible integrity, which marked the intellectual character of this wonderful man. But there is no necessity to detain and tantalize the reader by this formal train of reasoning, when a few leading features of Wood's person, manners, and habits of study, &c., have been thus pleasingly described to us by Hearne, in the life of him prefixed to the genuine edition of the _History and Antiquities (or Annals) of the University of Oxford_. "He was equally regardless of envy or fame, out of his great love to truth, and therefore 'twas no wonder he took such a liberty of speech, as most other authors, out of prudence, cunning, or design, have usually declined. And indeed, as to his language, he used such words as were suitable to his profession. It is impossible to think that men, who always converse with old authors, should not learn the dialect of their acquaintance--an antiquary retains an old word, with as much religion as an old relick. And further, since our author was ignorant of the rules of conversation, it is no wonder he uses so many severe reflections, and adds so many minute passages of men's lives. I have been told that it was usual with him, for the most part, to rise about four o'clock in the morning, and to eat hardly any thing till night; when, after supper, he would go into some by-alehouse in town, or else to one in some village near, and there by himself take his _pipe and pot_," &c. "But so it is that, notwithstanding our author's great merits, he was but little regarded in the University, being observed to be more clownish than courteous, and always to go in an old antiquated dress. Indeed he was a mere scholar, and consequently must expect, from the greatest number of men, disrespect; but this notwithstanding, he was always a true lover of his mother, the University, and did more for her than others care to do that have received so liberally from her towards their maintenance, and have had greater advantages of doing good than he had. Yea, his affection was not at all alienated, notwithstanding his being so hardly dealt with as to be expelled; which would have broken the hearts of some. But our author was of a most noble spirit, and little regarded whatever afflictions he lay under, whilst he was conscious to himself of doing nothing but what he could answer. At length after he had, by continual drudging, worn out his body, he left this world contentedly, by a stoppage of his urine, anno domini 1695, and was buried in the east corner of the north side of St. John's Church, adjoyning to Merton College, and in the wall is a small monument fixed, with these words:

H.S.E.

ANTONIUS WOOD, ANTIQUARIUS.

_ob. 28 Nov._ AO. 1695, aet. 64."

In his person, he was of a large robust make, tall and thin, and had a sedate and thoughtful look, almost bordering upon a melancholy cast. Mr. Hearne says, in his _Collectanea MSS._, that though he was but sixty-four years of age when he died, he appeared to be above fourscore; that he used spectacles long before he had occasion for them, that he stooped much when he walked, and generally carried his stick under his arm, seldom holding it in his hand. As to the manner of his life, it was solitary and ascetic. The character which Gassendus gives of Peireskius, may, with propriety, be used as descriptive of Mr. Wood's. "As to the care of his person, cleanliness was his chief object, he desiring no superfluity or costliness, either in his habit or food. His house was furnished in the same manner as his table; and as to the ornament of his private apartment, he was quite indifferent. Instead of hangings, his chamber was furnished with the prints of his particular friends, and other men of note, with vast numbers of commentaries, transcripts, letters, and papers of various kinds. His bed was of the most ordinary sort; his table loaded with papers, schedules, and other things, as was also every chair in the room. He was a man of strict sobriety, and by no means delicate in the choice of what he eat. Always restrained by temperance, he never permitted the sweet allurements of luxury to overcome his prudence." Such, as is here represented, was the disposition of Mr. WOOD: of so retired a nature as seldom to desire or admit a companion at his walks or meals; so that he is said to have dined alone in his chamber for thirty years together. Mr. Hearne says that it was his custom to "go to the booksellers at those hours when the greater part of the University were at their dinners," &c. And at five leaves further, in a note, we find that, "when he was consulting materials for his _Athenae Oxon._, he would frequently go to the booksellers, and generally give money to them, purposely to obtain titles of books from them; and 'twas observed of him that he spared no charges to make that work as compleat and perfect as possible." _Hearne's Coll. MSS. in Bodl. Lib._, vol. ix., p.

185. The following letter, describing Wood's last illness, and the disposition of his literary property, is sufficiently interesting to be here, in part, laid before the reader: it was written by Mr. (afterwards Bishop) Tanner to Dr. Charlett.

"Honoured Master,

Yesterday, at dinner-time, Mr. Wood sent for me; when I came, I found Mr. Martin and Mr. Bisse of Wadham (college) with him, who had (with much ado) prevailed upon him to set about looking over his papers, so to work we went, and continued tumbling and separating some of his MSS. till it was dark. We also worked upon him so far as to sign and declare that sheet of paper, which he had drawn up the day before, and called it _his will_; for fear he should not live till night. He had a very bad night of it last night, being much troubled with vomiting. This morning we three were with him again, and Mr. Martin bringing with him the form of a will, that had been drawn up by Judge Holloway, we writ his will over again, as near as we could, in form of law. He has given to the University, to be reposited in the _Museum Ashmol._, all his MSS., not only those of his own collection, but also all others which he has in his possession, except some few of Dr. Langbain's Miscellanea, which he is willing should go to the public library. He has also given all his printed books and pamphlets to the said musaeum which are not there already. This benefaction will not, perhaps, be so much valued by the University as it ought to be, because it comes from Anthony Wood; but truly it is a most noble gift, his collection of MSS. being invaluable, and his printed books, most of them, not to be found in town," &c. This letter is followed by other accounts yet more minute and touching, of the last mortal moments of poor old Anthony! It now remains to say a few words about his literary labours. A short history of the editions of the _Athenae Oxonienses_ (vide p. 45, ante) has already been communicated to the reader. We may here observe that his _Antiquities of the University_ shared a similar fate; being garbled in a Latin translation of them, which was put forth under the auspices of Bishop Fell: 1676, fol., in 2 vols. Wood's own MS. was written in the English language, and lay neglected till towards the end of the 18th century, when the Rev. Mr. Gutch conferred a real benefit upon all the dutiful sons of ALMA MATER, by publishing the legitimate text of their venerable and upright historian; under the title of _The History and Antiquities of the Colleges and Halls_, 1786, 4to., with a supplemental volume by way of _Appendix_, 1790, 4to., containing copious indexes to the two. Then followed the Annals of the University at large, viz. _The History and Antiquities of the University of Oxford_; 1792, 4to., in two volumes; the latter being divided into _two_ parts, or volumes, with copious indexes.

These works, which are now getting scarce, should be in every philological, as well as topographical, collection. In order to compensate the reader for the trouble of wading through the preceding tremendous note, I here present him with a wood-cut facsimile of a copper-plate print of Wood's portrait, which is prefixed to his Life, 1772, 8vo. If he wishes for more curious particulars respecting Wood's literary labours, let him take a peep into _Thomae Caii Vindic. Antiq. Acad. Oxon._: 1730, 8vo., vol. i., pp. xl.