[This copy, which is called, "_probably unique_," was once, I suspect, in Consul Smith's library. See _Bibl. Smith_, p.

lxiii. The reader will find some account of it in Warton's History of Engl. Poetry, vol. i., 347. It was printed, as well as the subsequent editions of 1488, and 1528, "with some deviations from the original, and even misrepresentations of the story." His majesty was the purchaser of this precious and uncommon book.]

708. Cornelius Nepos, 1471. _Edit. Prin._ 11 11 0

713. Alexander de Ales, super tertium Sententiar. 1474, ON VELLUM 15 15 0

817. Anthologia Graeca. _Edit. Prin._ 1494, ON VELLUM 28 7 0

In Dr. Hunter's Museum.

856. Ammianus Marcellinus, 1474. _Edit. Prin._ 23 0 0

1332. Ciceronis Opera omnia, Oliveti, 9 vols. quarto, 1740, _Charta Maxima_ 36 15 0

1389. Ejusdem Officia, 1465. _Edit. Prin._ 30 0 0

1433. Catullus, Tibullus, et Propertius; Aldi, 8vo., 1502.

IN MEMBRANIS 17 10 0

This copy was purchased by the late Mr. M.C. Cracherode, and is now, with his library, in the British Museum. It is a beautiful book; but cannot be compared with Lord Spencer's Aldine VELLUM Virgil, of the same size.

1576. Durandi Rationale, &c., 1459. IN MEMBRANIS 61 0 0

The beginning of the 1st chapter was wanting. Lord Spencer has a perfect copy of this rare book, printed upon spotless VELLUM.

2656. Platonis Opera, apud Aldum; 2 vols., fol., 1513.

_Edit. Prin._ ON VELLUM. 55 13 0

Purchased by the late Dr. William Hunter; and is, at this moment, with the Doctor's books and curiosities, at _Glasgow_. The reader can have no idea of the beauty of these vellum leaves. The ink is of the finest lustre, and the whole typographical arrangement may be considered a masterpiece of printing. If I could forget the magnificent copy which I have seen (but not upon vellum) of the "Etymologicum magnum," in the Luton Library, I should call _this_ the chef-d'oeuvre of the ALDINE PRESS.

2812. Plinii Hist. Natural; apud Spiram, fol., 1469. _Edit.

Princeps._ 43 0 0

This copy has been recently sold for a sum considerably less than it brought. It bears no kind of comparison with the copy in Lord Spencer's, Dr. Hunter's, and the Cracherode, collections. These latter are _giants_ to it!

2813. Id. cum notis Harduini; 1723, 3 vols., ON VELLUM 42 0 0

3345. Tewrdranckhs; Poema Germanica, Norimb. fol., 1517, ON VELLUM. 21 0 0

This is a book of uncommon rarity. It is a poetical composition on the life and actions of the Emperor Maximilian I., and was frequently reprinted; but not with the same care as were the earlier editions of 1517 and 1519--the latter, at Augsburg, by John Schouspergus.

Koellerus, who purchased a copy of this work on vellum, for 200 crowns, has given a particularly tempting description of it. See Schelhorn's "_Amoenitates Literarae [Transcriber's Note: Literariae]_," tom. ii., 430-iii., 144.

Dr. Hunter purchased Dr. Askew's copy, which I have seen in the Museum of the former: the wood-cuts, 118 in number, justify every thing said in commendation of them by Papillon and Heinecken. Probably Dr. Askew purchased the above copy of Osborne; for I find one in the _Bibl. Harleian_, vol.

iii., no. 3240. See, too, _Bibl. Mead_, p. 239, no.

43; where a VELLUM copy, of the edition of 1527, was sold for 9_l._ 9_s._ My friend, Mr. Douce, has also beautiful copies of the editions of 1517 and 1519, upon paper of the finest lustre. It has been a moot point with bibliographers whether the extraordinary type of this book be _wood_, and cut in solid blocks, or moveable types of _metal_. No one is better able to set this point "at rest," as lawyers call it, than the gentleman whose name is here last mentioned.

3337. Terentianus Maurus de Literis, Syllabis, et Metris Horatii. _Mediol._ fol., 1497 12 12 0

"This is judged to be the only copy of this edition in England, if not in the whole world. Dr. Askew could find no copy in his travels over Europe, though he made earnest and particular search in every library which he had an opportunity of consulting." Note in the catalogue. It was purchased by Dr. Hunter, and is now in his Museum.

Originally it belonged to Dr. Taylor, the editor of Lysias and Demosthenes, who originally procured it from the Harleian Library, for _four_ guineas only. We are told that, during his life, _one hundred_ guineas would not have obtained it!

Rare and magnificent as the preceding articles may be considered, I can confidently assure the reader that they form a very small part of the extraordinary books in Dr.

ASKEW'S library. Many a _ten_ and _twenty pounder_ has been omitted--many a _prince_ of an edition passed by unregarded!

The articles were 3570 in number; probably comprehending about 7000 volumes. They were sold for 4000_l._ It remains only to add that Dr. ASKEW was a native of Kendal, in Westmorland; that he practised as a physician there with considerable success, and, on his establishment in London, was visited by all who were distinguished for learning, and curious in the fine arts. Dr. Mead supported him with a sort of paternal zeal; nor did he find in his _protege_ an ungrateful son. (See the Director, vol. i., p. 309.) Few minds were probably more congenial than were those of MEAD and ASKEW: the former had, if I may so speak, a magnificence of sentiment which infused into the mind of the latter just notions of a character aiming at _solid intellectual_ fame; without the petty arts and dirty tricks which we now see too frequently pursued to obtain it. Dr. ASKEW, with less pecuniary means of gratifying it, evinced an equal ardour in the pursuit of books, MSS., and inscriptions. I have heard from a very worthy old gentleman, who used to revel 'midst the luxury of ASKEW'S table, that few men exhibited their books and pictures, or, as it is called, _shewed the Lions_, better than did the Doctor. Of his attainments in Greek and Roman literature it becomes not me to speak, when such a scholar as Dr. PARR has been most eloquent in their praise.

I should observe that the MSS. of Dr. ASKEW were separately sold in 1781, and produced a very considerable sum. The Appendix to Scapula, published in an 8vo. volume, in 1789, was compiied [Transcriber's Note: compiled] from one of these MSS.]

After an event so striking and so melancholy, one would think that future _Virtuosi_ would have barricadoed their doors, and fumigated their chambers, in order to escape the ravages of the _Book-Pest_:--but how few are they who profit by experience, even when dearly obtained!

The subsequent HISTORY OF THE BIBLIOMANIA is a striking proof of the truth of this remark: for the disease rather increased, and the work of death yet went on. In the following year (1776) died JOHN RATCLIFFE;[392] a bibliomaniac of a very peculiar character. If he had contented himself with his former occupation, and frequented the butter and cheese, instead of the book, market--if he could have fancied himself in a brown peruke, and Russian apron, instead of an embroidered waistcoat, velvet breeches, and flowing periwig, he might, perhaps, have enjoyed greater longevity; but, infatuated by the _Caxtons_ and _Wynkyn de Wordes_ of the West and Fletewode collections, he fell into the snare; and the more he struggled to disentangle himself, the more certainly did he become a victim to the disease.

[Footnote 392: BIBLIOTHECA RATCLIFFIANA; or, "_A Catalogue of the elegant and truly valuable Library of_ JOHN RATCLIFFE, _Esq., late of Bermondsey, deceased_. The whole collected with great judgment and expense, during the last thirty years of his life: comprehending a large and most choice collection of the rare old English _black-letter_, in fine preservation, and in elegant bindings, printed by Caxton, Lettou, Machlinia, the anonymous St. Alban's Schoolmaster, Wynkyn de Worde, Pynson, Berthelet, Grafton, Day, Newberie, Marshe, Jugge, Whytchurch, Wyer, Rastell, Coplande, and the rest of the _Old English Typographers_: several missals and MSS., and two pedigrees on vellum, finely illuminated." The title-page then sets forth a specimen of these black-letter gems; among which our eyes are dazzled with a galaxy of Caxtons, Wynkyn de Wordes, Pynsons, &c., &c. The sale took place on March 27, 1776; although the _year_ is unaccountably omitted by that renowned auctioneer, the late Mr. Christie, who disposed of them. If ever there was a _unique_ collection, this was one--the very essence of Old Divinity, Poetry, Romances, and Chronicles! The articles were only 1675 in number; but their intrinsic value amply compensated for their paucity. The following is but an inadequate specimen:

NO. 1315. Horace's Arte of Poetrie, Pistles, and Satyres, by Durant, 1567. _First English. Edition_ 0 16_s._ 0_d._

1321. The Shepard's Calendar, 1579. Whetstone's Castle of Delight, 1576 1 2 0

1392. The Pastyme of People, _printed_ by Rastell. Curious wood-cuts 4 7 0

1393. The Chronicles of Englande, _printed by Caxton_, fine copy, 1480 5 5 0

1394. Ditto, _printed at St. Albans_, 1483. Purchased by Dr.

Hunter, and now in his Museum (which copy I have seen) 7 7 0

1403. Barclay's Shyp of Folys, printed by Pynson, 1508, _first edit._, a fine copy 2 10 0

1426. The Doctrinal of Sapyence, _printed by Caxton_, 1489 8 8 0

1427. The Boke called Cathon, _ditto_, 1483. Purchased by Dr. Hunter, and now in his Museum 5 5 0

1428. The Polytyque Boke, named Tullius de Senectute, in Englyshe, _printed by Caxton_, 1481 14 0 0

1429. The Game of Chesse Playe. No date. _Printed by Caxton_ 16 0 0

1665. The Boke of Jason, _printed by Caxton_ 5 10 0

1669. The Polychronicon of Ranulph Higden, translated by Trevisa, 1482. _Printed by the same_, and purchased by Dr.

Hunter 5 15 6

1670. Legenda Aurea, or the Golden Legende. _Printed by the same_, 1483 9 15 0

1674. Mr. Ratcliffe's MS. Catalogue of the _rare old black-letter and other curious and uncommon books_, 4 vols.

7 15 0

[This would have been the most delicious article to _my_ palate. If the present owner of it were disposed to part with it, I could not find it in my heart to refuse him _compound interest_ for his money. As is the wooden frame-work to the bricklayer, in the construction of his arch, so might Mr. Ratcliffe's MS. Catalogues be to me in the compilation of a certain _magnum opus_!]

I beg pardon of the _manes_ of "John Ratcliffe, Esq.," for the very inadequate manner in which I have brought forward his collection to public notice. The memory of such a man ought to be dear to the "_black-letter-dogs_" of the present day: for he had (mirabile dictu!) _upwards of_ THIRTY CAXTONS! I take the present opportunity of presenting the reader with the following engraving of the Ratcliffe Library, Oxon.

[Illustration]