1963. The same; 1663. _Third Edit. in Russia._ 1 1 0

1964. The same; 1683. _Fourth Edition._ 1 1 0

My copy of this catalogue is upon _large paper_, beautifully priced by a friend who "hath an unrivalled pen in this way;"

and to whom I owe many obligations of a higher kind in the literary department--but whose modesty, albeit he was born on the banks of the Liffey, will not allow me to make the reader acquainted with his name. Therefore, "STAT NOMINIS UMBRA:" viz. ----!]

LOREN. Was Wright's the only collection disposed of at this period, which was distinguished for its dramatic treasures? I think HENDERSON'S[397] library was sold about this time?

[Footnote 397: _A Catalogue of the Library of_ JOHN HENDERSON, Esq. (late of Covent Garden Theatre), &c. Sold by auction by T. and J. Egerton, on February, 1786, 8vo. Do not let the lover of curious books in general imagine that Henderson's collection was entirely dramatical. A glance at the contents of page 12 to page 22, inclusively, will shew that this library contained some very first-rate rarities.

When the dramatic collector enters upon page 23, (to the end of the volume, p. 71) I will allow him to indulge in all the _mania_ of this department of literature, "withouten ony grudgynge." He may also ring as many _peals_ as it pleaseth him, upon discovering that he possesses all the copies of a dramatic author, ycleped _George Peele_, that are notified at nos. 923-4! Henderson's library was, without doubt, an extraordinary one. As we are upon _Dramatic Libraries_, let us, for fear Lysander should forget it, notice the following, though a little out of chronological order. "_A Catalogue, &c., of the late_ Mr. JAMES WILLIAM DODD, of the _Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, &c. Sold by auction by Leigh and Sotheby_, Jan. 19, 1797, 8vo., 2435 lots." There was more of the _Drama_ in this than in Henderson's collection. Mr.

Kemble purchased the dearest volume, which was "Whetstone's Promos and Cassandra," 1578, 4to. (no. 2396) for 7_l._ 10_s._ Mr. George Nicol (for the late Duke of Roxburgh) kept up a tremendous fire at this sale! Akin to Dodd's, was the "_Curious and Valuable Library of_ GEORGE SMYTH, Esq.--sold by Leigh and Sotheby, June 2, 1797, 8vo." There were many uncommon books in this collection, exclusively of those appertaining to the Drama; and when I mention, in this latter department--Hughes's Misfortunes of Prince Arthur, &c., printed by Robinson, 1587, 4to. (no. 1376; 16_l._ 15_s._), both the parts of Shakespeare's Henry the Fourth (1599-1600, 4to., nos. 1436-7; 18_l._ 18_s._), his Much Ado about Nothing, 1600, 4to., (no. 1438; 7_l._ 10_s._)--I say enough to sharpen the collector's appetite to obtain, if he have it not, possession of this curious but barbarously printed catalogue. To these, let me add the "_Catalogue of a portion of the Library of_ WILLIAM FILLINGHAM, Esq., _consisting of old quarto plays, early English Poetry, and a few scarce Tracts, &c., sold by Leigh and Sotheby_, April 1805, 8vo." The arrangement of this small catalogue is excellent. Many of the books in it are of the rarest occurrence; and, to my knowledge, were in the finest preservation. The collector is no more! He died in India; cut off in the prime of life, and in the midst of his intellectual and book-collecting ardour! He was a man of exceedingly gentlemanlike manners, and amiable disposition; and his taste was, upon the whole, well cultivated and correct. Many a pleasant, and many a profitable, hour have I spent in his "delightsome" library!!!]

LYSAND. It was; and if you had not reminded me of it, I should have entirely forgotten it. Catalogues of _dramatic Libraries_, well arranged, are of great service to the cause of the Bibliomania.

LIS. I wish we could procure some act of parliament to induce the dramatic collectors--by a fair remuneration--to give a well analysed account of their libraries. We should then have the _Bibliotheca Roxburghiana_, _Bibliotheca Maloniana_, and what say you to the _Bibliotheca Kembleiana_.

LYSAND. You are running wild. Let me continue my bibliomaniacal history.

We may now advance directly to the exquisite--and shall I say, unparalleled?--library of MAJOR PEARSON![398] a gentleman, who has far eclipsed the bibliomaniacal reputation of his military predecessor, General Dormer. This extraordinary collection was sold by auction the very next year ensuing the sale of Dr. Wright's books and so thickly and richly is it sprinkled with the black-letter, and other curious lore--so varied, interesting, and valuable, are the departments into which it is divided--that it is no wonder his present Majesty, the late Duke of Roxburgh, and George Steevens, were earnest in securing some of the choicest gems contained in the same. Such a collection, sold at the present day--when there is such a "_qui vive_"

for the sort of literature which it displays--what would it produce?

At least four times more, than its sum total, two and twenty years ago!

[Footnote 398: If the reader attend only to the above flourishing eulogy, by Lysander, upon the extraordinary collection of Major, or Thomas, Pearson, I fear he will not rise from the perusal of these pages impressed with very accurate notions of the same. To qualify such ardent panegyric, and at the same time to please the hearts of all honest bibliomaniacs, I here subjoin something like a sober analysis of the _Bibliotheca Pearsoniana_. The title to the Sale Catalogue is as follows: "_Biblioth. Pearson. A Catalogue of the Library of_ THOMAS PEARSON, Esq.

_Containing a very extensive Collection of the best and rarest books in every branch of English Literature, &c. Sold by Auction by T. and J. Egerton, in April, 1788_," 8vo. Like all the sale catalogues put forth by the Egertons, the present is both judiciously arranged and neatly printed. It is said that there are only twelve copies upon _large paper_; but I doubt the smallness of this number. My own is of this kind, superbly bound, and priced with a neatness peculiar to the calligraphical powers of the 'forementioned friend. It may not be amiss to prefix an extract from a newspaper of the day; in which this sale was thus noticed: "The Black-lettero-mania, which raged so furiously in the course of last Spring at the Sale of Dr. WRIGHT'S Books, has broken out with still greater violence at the present auction of MAJOR PEARSON'S Library. This assertion may be countenanced by the following examples." Then follow a few specimens of the prices given. The reader is now presented with copious specimens, selected according to their numerical order: the addenda, between inverted commas, being copied from the said newspaper.

1888. Webbe's Discourse of English Poetrie, 1586, 4to. 3 5_s._ 0_d._

"Bought by Mr. Steevens versus Mr. Malone."

1889. Puttenham's Art of English Poesie, 1589, 4to. 1 12 0

1900. The fyrst Boke of the Introduction to Knowledge, &c.; _Printed by W. Copland_, no date, 4to. 4 15 0

"By the Rev. Mr. Brand versus Lord Charlemont."

1910. The Castell of Laboure; _Emprynted by Pynson_, 4to., _no date_. 2 2 0

1926. Dekker's Miscellaneous Pieces, 1604, &c., 4to. 2 2 0

1932. A curious collection of sundry rare pieces, 4to. 3 4 0

1951. Drollery's (eleven) 1661, &c., 8vo. 5 6 6

These droll pieces are now much coveted by knowing bibliomaniacs. Mr. Heber and Mr. Hill have each a copious collection of them; and Mr. Gutch of Bristol, a bookseller of great spirit in his trade, and of equal love of general literature, recently gratified the curious by exhibiting, in his catalogue of 1810, a number of "_Garlands_;" which ere now, have, in all probability, proved a successful bait for some hungry book fish.

2035. Sir John Harrington's most elegant and witty Epigrams, with portrait, 1618, 8vo. 2 3 0

2090. Flowers of Epigrammes, &c. _Impr. by Shepperd_, 1577, 12mo. 1 14 0

2130. The Paradise of Dainty Devises, &c., _printed for E.

White_, 1600, 4to. The workes of a Young Wit, by N.B. b.l.

_printed by Thomas Dawson, no date_. Watson's Mistresse, &c., and Sonnets, b.l. _imperf._ Diana, by the Earl and Countess of Oxenford, _printed for J. Roberts_, wanting title, 4to. 9 12 6

"Bought by Mr. Steevens versus Mr. Malone."

2131. England's Helicon, 1600, 4to. 5 10 0

"By ditto versus ditto."

2147. The Example of Vertu; _printed by W. de Worde_, 4to.

"Bought by Mr. Mason versus Mr. Malone."

2162. A Mirrour of Mysterie; _finely written upon, vellum, with two very neat drawings with pen and ink_, 1557, 4to. 2 0 0

2186. Manley's Affliction and Deliverance of Saints, portr.

1652, 8vo. 1 12 0

2190. Tragedie of Sir Richard Grenvile, Knt. printed by J.

Roberts, 1595, 8vo. 0 15 6

2289. Laquei Ridiculosi, or Springes for Woodcocks, by Henry Parrot, 1613, 8vo. 0 4 6

N.B. _This little volume was sold for as many guineas at the sale of Mr. Reed's books in 1807._

2373. Lyf of St. Ursula; _Impr. by Wynkyn de Worde_, no date, 4to. 1 10 0

2374. Lyf and History of Saynt Werburge. _Printed by Pynson_, 1521, 4to. 1 3 0

N.B. _This volume was sold for 18_l._ 18_s._ at the last mentioned sale._

2575. This lot comprehends a cluster of precious little black-letter pieces, which were purchased at the sale of West's books, by Major Pearson. Eight in the whole: executed before the year 1540. 3 19 0

2421. The Goodly Garlande, or Chaplet of Laurell, by Maister Skelton; _Impr._ by Fawkes, 1523, 4to. See here a long note upon the rarity and intrinsic worth of this curious little volume. "Purchased by Brand versus the King." 7 17 6

2710. Ancient Songs and Ballads; written on various subjects, and printed between the years 1560 and 1700; chiefly collected by Robert Earl of Oxford, and purchased at the sale of the library of James West, Esq., in 1773 (for 20_l._): increased by several additions: _2 volumes bound in Russia leather_. 26 4 6

"Bought by Mr. Nicol for the Duke of Roxburgh, versus Messrs. Arnold and Ritson." "N.B. The preceding numerous and matchless collection of _Old Ballads_ are all printed in the black-letter, and decorated with many hundred wooden prints.

They are pasted upon paper, with borders (printed on purpose) round each ballad: also, a printed title and index to each volume. To these are added the paragraphs which appeared in the public papers respecting the above curious collection, at the time they were purchased at Mr. West's."

Thus far Messrs. Egerton. I have to add that the late DUKE OF ROXBURGH became the purchaser of these "matchless"

volumes. Whilst in Major Pearson's possession, "with the assistance of Mr. Reed, the collection received very great additions, and was bound in two very large volumes; in this state (says Mr. Nicol,) it was bought by the Duke of Roxburghe. After the industrious exertions of two such skilful collectors as Major Pearson and Mr. Reed, the Duke did not flatter himself with ever being able to add much to the collection; but, as usual, he undervalued his own industry. Finding that his success far exceeded his expectations, he determined to add a _third volume_ to the collection. Among these new acquisitions are some very rare ballads; one quoted by Hamlet, of which no other copy is known to exist." _Preface to the Roxburgh Catalogue_, p. 5.

The ballad here alluded to may be seen in Mr. Evans's recent edition of his father's _Collection of Old Ballads_; vol.

i., p. 7.

3262 to 3329. These numbers comprehend a very uncommon and interesting set of _Old Romances_! which, collectively, did not produce 35_l._--but which now, would have been sold for----!?

3330 to 4151. An extraordinary collection of the English Drama.

And thus farewell MAJOR PEARSON!]