If I might hazard a comparison between Mr. James West's and Mr. John Ratcliffe's collections, I should say that the former was more extensive; the latter more curious. Mr.

West's, like a magnificent _champagne_, executed by the hand of Claude or Both, and enclosing mountains, meadows, and streams, presented to the eye of the beholder a scene at once luxuriant and fruitful: Mr. Ratcliffe's, like one of those confined pieces of scenery, touched by the pencil of Rysdael or Hobbima, exhibited to the beholder's eye a spot equally interesting, but less varied and extensive: the judgment displayed in both might be the same. The sweeping foliage and rich pasture of the former could not, perhaps, afford greater gratification than the thatched cottage, abrupt declivities, and gushing streams of the latter. To change the metaphor--Mr. West's was a magnificent repository; Mr. Ratcliffe's, a cabinet of curiosities. Of some particulars of Mr. Ratcliffe's life, I had hoped to have found gleanings in Mr. Nichols's _Anecdotes of Bowyer_; but his name does not even appear in the index; being probably reserved for the second forth-coming enlarged edition. Meanwhile, it may not be uninteresting to remark that, like Magliabechi, (vide p. 86, ante) he imbibed his love of reading and collecting from the accidental possession of scraps and leaves of books. The fact is, Mr.

Ratcliffe once kept a _chandler's shop_ in the Borough; and, as is the case with all retail traders, had great quantities of old books brought to him to be purchased at so much _per lb._! Hence arose his passion for collecting the _black-letter_, as well as _Stilton cheeses_: and hence, by unwearied assiduity, and attention to business, he amassed a sufficiency to retire, and live, for the remainder of his days, upon the luxury of OLD ENGLISH LITERATURE!]

It is with pain that I trace the ravages of the BOOK-MANIA to a later period. Many a heart yet aches, and many a tear is yet shed, on a remembrance of the mortality of this frightful disease. After the purchasers of Ratcliffe's treasures had fully perused, and deposited in fit places within their libraries, some of the scarcest volumes in the collection, they were called upon to witness a yet more splendid victim to the Bibliomania: I mean, the Honourable TOPHAM BEAUCLERK.[393] One, who had frequently gladdened JOHNSON in his gloomy moments; and who is allowed, by that splenetic sage and great teacher of morality, to have united the elegant manners of a gentleman with the mental accomplishments of a scholar. Beauclerk's Catalogue is a fair specimen of the analytico-bibliographical powers of Paterson: yet it must be confessed that this renowned champion of catalogue-makers shines with greater, and nearly perfect, splendour, in the collection of the REV. THOMAS CROFTS[394]--a collection which, taking it "for all in all," I know not whether it be exceeded by any which this country has recorded in the shape of a private catalogue.

The owner was a modest, careful, and acutely sagacious bibliomaniac: learned, retired, yet communicative: and if ever you lay hold of a _large paper_ copy of a catalogue of his books, which, as well as the small, carries the printed prices at the end, seize it in triumph, Lisardo, for it is a noble volume, and by no means a worthless prize.

[Footnote 393: There are few libraries better worth the attention of a scholarlike collector than was the one of the distinguished character above noticed by Lysander. The Catalogue of Beauclerk's books has the following title: "_Bibliotheca Beauclerkiana; A Catalogue of the large and valuable Library of the late Honourable_ TOPHAM BEAUCLERK, F.R.S., _deceased_; comprehending an excellent choice of books, to the number of upwards of 30,000 volumes, &c. Sold by auction, by Mr. Paterson, in April, 1781," 8vo. The catalogue has two parts: part I. containing 230; part _ii._ 137, pp. The most magnificent and costly volume was the largest paper copy of Dr. Clarke's edition of Caesar's Commentaries, 1712, fol., which was sold for 44_l._; and of which the binding, according to Dr. Harwood's testimony, cost 5_l._ 5_s._ There is nothing, in _modern_ times, very marvellous in this price of binding. Of the _two parts_ of the Beauclerk collection, the _second_ is the most valuable to the collector of English Antiquities and History, and the _first_ to the general scholar. But let not the bibliomaniac run too swiftly over the first, for at nos. 3450, 3453, he will find two books which rank among the rarest of those in old English poetry. At the close of the second part, there are a few curious manuscripts; three of which are deserving of a description here.

PART II.

3275. Thomas of Arundel, his Legend in old English verse; VII parts, with the Entre, or Prologue: _written A.D.

M.C.VII. upon vellum, the Capitals illuminated_, fol. Here follows a specimen of the verse 1 18_s._ 0_d._

_ye fyrst pt of ys yt es of mon and of his urechednes._

_ye secounde pte folowyng es of ye worldes unstabillnes._

_ye yyrdde pt yt is of deth & of peyn yt wt hy geth._

_the ferthe parte is of purgatorye yere soules ben clensed of her folye._

_ye fyfte pt of ys dey of doom & of tokens yt byfore shul coom._

_ye syxte pt of ys boke to telle yt speketh of ye peynes of helle._

_ye seventhe part of joys in heven yat bene more yenne tong may neuen._

3276. The Life and Acts of St. Edmond, King and Martyr, by John Lydgate, Monk of Bury, fol.: _a choice MS. upon vellum, illuminated throughout, and embellished with 52 Historical Miniatures_. For a specimen of the verse, take the first stanza: 22 1 0

_The noble stoory to putte in remembraunce Of Seynt Edmond mayd martre and kyng With his suppoor: my style i wyl avaunce ffirst to compyle afftre my konnyng his gloryous lyff his birthe and his gynnying And by discent how he was soo good Was in Saxonye borne of the royal blood._

3288. The Armes, Honours, Matches, and Issues of the auncient and illustrious FAMILY OF VEER: described in the honourable progeny of the Earles of Oxenford and other branches thereof. Together with a genealogical deduction of this noble family from the blood of 12 forreyne princes: viz. 3 Emperours, 3 Kings, 3 Dukes, and 3 Earles, &c.

_Gathered out of History, Recordes, and other Monuments of Antiquity, by Percivall Goulding, Gent. The Arms illuminated, folio._ 9 0 0

I will just add that this catalogue is creditably printed in a good size octavo volume, and that there are copies upon _large paper_. The arrangement of the books is very creditable to the bibliographical reputation of Paterson.]

[Footnote 394: When the reader is informed that Paterson tells us, in the preface of this volume, that "In almost every language and science, and even under the shortest heads, some one or more rare articles occur; but in the copious classes, such as follow, literary curiosity is gratified, is _highly feasted_"--and that the author of this remark used, in his latter days, to hit his knee hard with his open hand, and exclaim--"By G----, Crofts' Catalogue is my chef d'oeuvre, out and out"--when he reflects, I say, for a minute upon these two bibliographical stimuli, he will hasten (if he have it not already) to seize upon that volume of which the following is but an imperfect specimen of the treasures contained in it: "_Bibliotheca Croftsiana: A Catalogue of the curious and distinguished Library of the late Reverend and Learned_ THOMAS CROFTS, A.M., &c. Sold by auction, by Mr. Paterson, in April, 1783," 8vo. This collection, containing 8360 articles, although not quite so generally useful as the preceding, is admirably well arranged; and evinces, from the rarity of some of the volumes in the more curious departments of literature, the sound bibliographical knowledge and correct taste of Mr.

Crofts: who was, in truth, both a scholar and bibliomaniac of no ordinary reputation. I hasten to treat the reader with the following _Excerpta Croftsiana_: being a selection of articles from this catalogue, quite according with the present prevailing fashion of Book-Collecting:

NO. 2741. Raccolta de Poeti Provenzali MS. antiq.

_Supermembr._, 8vo., _cor. turc. avec une table des noms des troubadours contenu dans ce MS._ 5 7_s._ 6_d._

4920. Les cent nouvelles nouvelles, _Lettres Gothiques_, fig. fol., _velin Paris, imprimees par Nic. Desprez_. M.D.V.

2 15 0

4921. Le Chevalier de la Tour. Et le guidon des guerres; _lettres Gothiques, fig. fol. maroq. rouge, imprime a Paris, pour Guil. Eustace._ M.D.XIV. 2 17 0

4922. Le premier, second, et tiers volume de Lancelot du Lac; _nouvellement imprime a Paris. L'an mil cinq cens et xx, pour Michel le Noir; Lettres Gothiques, fig. fol. maroq.

rouge_ 10 15 0

4923. Le premier et le second volume du Sainct Greaal, contenant la conqueste dudict Sainct Greaal, faicte par Lancelot du Lac, Galaad Perceval et Boors; _Lettres Gothiques, fig. fol. maroq. rouge, Paris, imprime par Phel le Noir_, M.D.XXIII 5 7 6

"Ce volume est un des plus rares de la classe des Romans de Chevalerie. T.C."

4924. Ci Commence Guy de Warwick chevalier Dangleterre qui en son tems fit plusieurs prouesses et conquestes en Allemaigne, Ytalie, et Dannemarche. Et aussi sur les infidelles ennemys de la Crestiente; _Lettres Gothiques, fig. fol. maroq. rouge. Paris, imprime par Ant. Couteau_, M.D.XXV. 1 18 0

4925. Le premier et le second volume de Merlin, qui est le premier livre de la table ronde, avec plusieurs choses moult recreative: aussi les Prophecies de Merlin, qui est le tierce partie et derniere: _Lettres Gothiques, 2 tom. 4to., maroq. rouge, Paris_, M.D.XXVIII. 1 18 0

4926. La treselegante, delicieuse, melliflue, et tresplaisante Hystoire du tresnoble, victori, et excellentissime roy Perceforest, Roy de la Grand Bretaigne, fundateur du Francpalais et du temple du souverain Dieu. En laquelle lecture pourra veoir la source et decoration de toute Chevalerie, culture de vraye Noblesse, Prouesses, &c.

Avecques plusieurs propheties, Comptes Damans, et leur divers fortunes. _Lettres Gothiques, 6 tom. en 3 fol., Paris, chez Galliot du Pre_, M.D.XXVIII. 7 0 0

4927. Le tiers, quart, cinquiesme, sixiesme, et dernier volumes des Anciennes Croniques Dangleterre, faictz et gestes du trespreux et redoubte en chevalerie, le noble roy Perceforest: _imprime a Paris pour Egide Gourmont et Phil.

le Noir_, M.D.XXXII. 2 tom. folio 0 11 6

4298. Le Parangon des Nouvelles, honestes et delectables a tous ceulx qui desirent voir et ouyr choses nouvelles et recreatives soubz umbre et couleur de joyeuste, 8vo. fig.

maroq. rouge. _Imprimez a Lyon, par Denys de Harsy_, 1532.

Les Parolles joyeuses et Dicts memorables des nobles et saiges Homes anciens, redigez par le gracieulx et honeste Poete Messire Francoys Petrarcque, _fig. ib._ 1532 2 5 0

4929. L'Histoire de Isaie le triste filz de Tristan de leonnoys, jadis Chevalier de la table ronde, et de la Royne Izeut de Cornouaille, ensemble les nobles prouesses de chevallerie faictes par Marc lexille filz. au dict Isaye: _Lettres Gothiques, avec fig., 4to., maroq. rouge. On les vend a Paris par Jehan Bonfons_, 1535 2 12 6

"There is no direct date either at the beginning or end, nor any privilege annexed to this rare Romance. Mr. Crofts, though extremely accurate, for the most part, has made no remark; neither has the industrious Mr. de Bure taken notice of this particular edition. The date is, nevertheless, obvious, according to my conjecture. After the words filz du dict Isaye, in the general title, at some distance, stand these numerals lxv. c. At first I apprehended they referred to the work, as containing so many chapters; but upon examining the table, I found the Romance to consist of 92 chapters: I conclude they must relate to the date of the book, and are to be read lxv. ante M.D.C., or 1535. S.P."

4932. Meliadus de Leonmoys. Du present Volume sont contenus les nobles faictz darmes du vaillant roy Meliadus. Ensemble plusieurs autres nobles proesses de Chevalerie faictes tant par le roy Artus, Palamedes, &c., &c. _Lettres Gothiques, fig., fol., maroq. bleu, Paris, chez Galliot du Pre_ 3 10 0

4933. Lhystoire tresrecreative, traictant des faictz et gestes du noble et vaillant Chevalier Theseus de Coulongne, par sa proesse Empereur de Rome. Et aussi de sons fils Gadifer, Empereur de Grece. Pareillement des trois enfans de Gadifer, cestassavoir Regnault, Reynier, et Regnesson, &c.

_Lettres Gothiques, avec fig. 4to., en peau russe. Paris, pour Jehan Bonfons, s.a._ 5 0 0

4938. L'Histoire Palladienne, traitant des gestes et genereux Faitz d'armes et d'armour de plusieurs Grandz Princes et Seigneurs, specialement de Palladien filz du roy Milanor d'Angleterre, et de la belle Selenine, &c.; par feu Cl. Colet Champenois, _fig., fol., maroquin jaune. Paris, de l'imprimerie d'Estien. Goulleau_, 1555 1 18 0

4945. Hist. du noble Tristan Prince de Leonnois, Chevalier de la table ronde, et d'Yseulte, Princesse d'Yrlande, Royne de Cornouaille; fait Francois par Jean Maugin, dit l'Angevin, _fig., 4to., maroq. rouge, Rouen_. 1586 1 5 0

4953. L'Hist. du noble et vaillant Chevalier Paris et la belle Vienne, _4to., Rouen_ 3 10 0

4961. Histoires Prodigieuses, extractes de plusieurs fameux Autheurs, Grecs et Latins, par Pier Boaisteau, Cl. de Tesserant, F. de Belleforest, Rod. Hoyer, &c., _fig. 6 tom.

en 3, 12mo., maroq. rouge. Par chez la Verfue Cavellat_, 1598 2 9 0

4964. Valentine and Orson, cuts, black letter, 4to. _London; no date_. (Not sold.)

7276. Hollinshed's (Raphe) and William Harrison's Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland, continued by John Hooker, alias Vowell, and others; _black letter, 3 vols. fol., large paper, in Russia_, 1586 13 2 6

7399. Lynch (Jo.) Seu Gratiani Lucii Hiberni Cambrensis Eversus, seu potius Historica fides, in Rebus Hibernicis, Giraldo Cambrensi abrogata, fol. _Impress. An. 1662. Sine Loco aut Nomine Impressoris_ 3 4 0

"Liber inter Historicos Hibernicos rarissimus et inventu difficilimus, quippe cujus pars maxima exemplarium in incendio periit Londinensi. Sub Lucii Gratiani nomine latet verus autor Johannes Lynch (Tuamensis Archidiaconus) qui post Gallvae deditionem, Exul in Gallia hocce opus patriae vindex composuit. T.C."

This catalogue contains 8360 articles. There are printed lists of the prices for which each set of books was sold: but I am afraid that an arrant bibliomaniac, like myself (for thus my friends are cruel enough to call me!) will be content only with a _large paper_ copy of it, with the prices neatly penned in the margin. I conclude that Lysander recommends the volume in this shape to all tasteful collectors.]

LIS. But there are surely other large paper----

ALMAN. What can there possibly be in a large paper copy of a _Catalogue of Books_ which merits the appellation of "nobleness" and "richness?"