LOREN. You are a little out of order. Such a question cuts the heart of a bibliographer in twain. Pray let Lysander pursue his narrative.

LYSAND. I have no sort of objection to such interruptions. But I think the day is not very far distant when females will begin to have as high a relish for _large paper_ copies of every work as their male rivals. Now let us go on quietly towards the close of my long-winded bibliomaniacal history. And first let us not fail to pay due respect to the cabinet of literary bijoux collected by that renowned bibliomaniac, MARK CEPHAS TUTET.[395] His collection was distinguished by some very uncommon articles of early date, both of foreign and British typography; and, if you take a peep into Lorenzo's priced copy of the catalogue containing also the purchasers' names, you will find that most notorious modern bibliomaniacs ran away with the choicest prizes. Tutet's catalogue, although drawn up in a meagre and most disadvantageous style, is a great favourite with me; chiefly for the valuable articles which it exhibits.

[Footnote 395: _A Catalogue of the genuine and valuable Collection of printed Books and Manuscripts of the late_ MARK CEPHAS TUTET, Esq., to be sold by auction by Mr.

Gerard, on Wednesday, the 15th of February, 1786, 8vo. This library evinces the select taste and accurate judgment of its collector. There were only 513 articles, or lots; but these in general were both curious and valuable. I will give a specimen or two of the TUTET CABINET of books.

NO. 10. Various Catalogues of Curiosities, elegantly bound in 14 volumes, and a few loose: _most of them priced, with the purchasers' names_. A.D. 1721 to 1783, 8vo. 3 16_s._ 0_d._

55. Two volumes of ancient and modern cards, _eleg. in russia_ 5 5 0

[These volumes were purchased by Mr. Payne's father, and of him by Mr. Gough. At the sale of the MSS. of the latter (1810) they were purchased by Mr. Robert Triphook, bookseller, of St. James's Street; with a view of making them instrumental to a work which he is projecting, _Upon the History and Antiquity of Playing Cards_.]

86. Broughton's Concent of Scripture: _printed upon vellum_ 1 2 0

118. Snelling's Silver Coinage,--1762; ditto Gold Coinage, 1763; ditto Copper Coinage, 1768; ditto Miscellaneous Views, 1769; ditto Jettons, 1769: all in folio 7 0 0

"These form a complete set of Snelling's works in folio, and are interspersed with a great number of very useful and interesting notes and observations, by Mr. Tutet."

126. The Byble, &c. Printed by Grafton and Whitchurch, 1537, folio 3 3 0

[There is a note here by Tutet which does not evince any profound knowledge of English etymology.]

168. Rede me and be not wroth, 12mo., no place nor date 1 11 6

175. Servetus de Trinitatis erroribus, _cor. tur._, 1531, 12mo. 3 14 0

316. ---- de Trinitate divina, Lond., 1723, 4to. 1 12 0

329. The Arte and Crafte to know well to dye. _Printed by Caxton_, 1490, folio 2 2 0

337. Hautin, Figures des Monnoyes de France, 1619, folio 6 0 0

364. Parker de Antiq. Brit. Ecclesiae, 1572, folio. A long and curious note is here appended 4 4 0

371. The Boke of Hawkinge, Huntynge, and Fysshynge, 1496, fol. 2 9 0

372. Sancta Peregrinatio in Mont. Syon, &c. 1486, folio 7 7 0

["This is the first book of travels that was ever printed.

The maps are very remarkable; that of the Holy Land is above 4 feet long."]

463. Spaccio della Bestia trionfante. _Paris_, 1584, 8vo. 7 7 0

477. Expositio Sancti Jeronimi in Symbolum Apostolorum, _cor. maur. Oxon._, 1468, 4to. 16 5 0

479. Polychronycon; _printed by Caxton_, 1482, 4to. 4 12 0

480. Pfintzing (Melchoir [Transcriber's Note: Melchior]) His German Poem of the Adventures of the Emperor Maximilian, under the name of Tewrdanckh's. Nuremb., 1517, folio 5 7 6

481. Initial Letters, Vignettes, Cul de Lampes, &c., 2 vols., _elegantly bound in russia_. [These beautiful books are now in the possession of Mr. Douce] 4 6 0

483. Bouteroue, Recherches curieuses des Monnoyes de France: _in morocco, gilt, Paris_, 1666, folio 5 0 0

486. Froissart's Chronicles; printed by Pynson, 1523, folio, 2 vols. _A beautiful copy elegantly bound._ 16 0 0

487. Recule of the Hystoryes of Troye; _printed by Caxton_, (1471) Folio. _A very fine copy, and quite complete._ 21 0 0

490. Ciceronis Officia, 1466, 4to. _On paper._ 25 10 0

And thus we take leave of that judicious and tasteful bibliomaniac, MARK CEPHAS TUTET!

Three months after the sale of the preceding library, appeared the _Bibliotheca Universalis Selecta_ of SAMUEL PATERSON; containing a collection to be sold by auction in May, 1786. To this catalogue of 8001 articles, there is a short (I wish I could add "sweet") preface, which has been extracted in the _Gentleman's Magazine_, vol. lvi., p. 334; and in the _Censura Literaria_, vol. ii., p. 252--but, whatever accidental reputation the volume may have received from the notice of it in these periodical works, I deem both the preface and the work itself quite unworthy of Paterson's credit. There is an alphabetical index (not always very correct); and a few bibliographical notes are subjoined to the specification of the titles; and these considerations alone will give the book a place in the library of the bibliomaniac. The collection is, in fact, neither universal nor select: and the preface is written in the worst of all styles, containing the most commonplace observations.]

The following year, was sold, in a similar way, the select and very curious collection of RICHARD WRIGHT, M.D.;[396] the strength of which lay chiefly in publications relating to the _Drama_ and _Romances_.

It is, in my humble opinion, a most judicious, as well as neatly printed, little catalogue; and not more than a dozen copies of it, I think, were printed upon _large paper_. Secure this volume, Lisardo, if you wish to add to your riches in English bibliography.

[Footnote 396: Lysander has not drawn too strong an outline in his picture of the _Bibliotheca Wrightiana_. The collection was elegant and select. Let us say a little more about it. "_A Catalogue of the Library of_ RICHARD WRIGHT, M.D. &c., consisting of an elegant and extensive collection of books in every branch of learning, &c., many of the scarcest editions of the Old English Poets, Novels, and Romances; also a most singular assemblage of Theatrical Writers, including the rarest productions of the English Drama." Sold by auction by T. and J. Egerton, April 23rd, 1787, 8vo. The volume is neatly printed, and the books in the collection are arranged in alphabetical order under their respective departments. We will now fill up a little of the aforementioned strong outline of the picture of Wright's library: which contained 2824 articles.

917, 920, 921-4-5-6-7, 931-2-3, exhibit a glorious specimen of the ancient English Chronicles--which, collectively, did not produce a sum above 45 0_s._ 0_d._

1223. England's Parnassus, 1600, 8vo. 0 14 0

1333. Churchyarde's Choice, 1579, 4to. 2 14 0

1334. ---- first part of his Chippes, 1575, 4to. 3 13 6

1343. Robert Greene's Works, 2 vols., _elegantly bound_, 4to. (containing 17 pieces.) 5 19 0

1374. Shyp of Folys. _Printed by Pynson_, 1508, fol. 3 13 0

1384. Skelton's Works: 1568, 8vo. 0 14 0

1398. Turberville's epitaphs, epigrams, songs and sonnets, 1567, 8vo.

My copy has no price to this article.

1493. Thomas Nashe's Works, in three vols. 4to., containing 21 pieces 12 15 0

1567 to 2091, comprehends _The English Theatre_.

These numbers exhibit almost every thing that is rare, curious, and valuable in this popular department. I know not how to select stars from such a galaxy of black-letter lustre--but the reader may follow me to the ensuing numbers, which will at least convince him that I am not insensible to the charms of _dramatic bijoux_, nos. 1567-9: 1570-6-8: 1580: 1595-6-8-9: 1606: 1626: 1636-7-8: 1712 (Dekker's Pieces: 15 in number--sold for 3_l._ 3_s._ EHEU!) 1742: 1762. (Heywood's 26 plays, 3_l._ 4_s._) 1776.--1814: (Marston's 9 pieces, 3_l._ 4_s._) 1843. (Tragedie of Dido, 1594, 16_l._ 16_s._ EUGE!) 1850. (Middleton; 13 pieces: 4_l._ 5_s._) 1873-5. (George Peele's: 7_l._ 7_s._) 1902: (Sackville's Ferrex and Porrex: 2_l._ 4_s._)--But--"quo Musa tendis?" I conclude, therefore, with the following detailed _seriatim_.

1960. Shakspeare's Works; 1623, folio. _First edition; bound in Russia leather, with gilt leaves._ 10 0 0

1961. The same; 1632. _Second impression._ 2 9 0

1962. The same; 1632. _The same._ 1 6 0