LIS. Some bookseller,[418] I warrant, has published a thumping catalogue at each of these places. Ha!--here I have you, sober-minded Lysander! You are as arrant a book-madman as any of those renowned bibliomaniacs whom you celebrated yesterday evening!--Yet, if you love me, take me with you! My pistoles are not exhausted.

[Footnote 418: I ought to have noticed, under Lysander's eulogy upon _London Booksellers_ (see p. 308, ante) the very handsome manner in which Mr. Roscoe alludes to their valuable catalogues--as having been of service to him in directing his researches into foreign literature. His words are these: "The rich and extensive Catalogues published by EDWARDS, PAYNE, and other _London Booksellers_, who have of late years diligently sought for, and imported into England, whatever is curious or valuable in foreign literature, have also contributed to the success of my inquiries." _Lorenzo de Medici_: pref. p. XXVII., edit. 1800, 8vo.]

PHIL. Peace, Lisardo!--but you are, in truth, a bit of a prophet. It is even as you surmise. We have each received a forwarded letter, informing us of very choice and copious collections of books about to be sold at these respective places. While I take my departure for Mr.

Ford of Manchester, Lorenzo is about to visit the book-treasures of Mr. Dyer of Exeter, and Mr. Gutch of Bristol:--but, indeed, were not this the case, our abode here must terminate on the morrow.

LIS. I suppose the names you have just mentioned describe the principal booksellers at the several places you intend visiting.

LYSAND. Even so: yet I will make no disparaging comparisons.[419] We speak only of what has come within our limited experience. There may be many brave and sagacious bibliopolists whose fame has not reached our ears, nor perhaps has any one of the present circle ever heard of the late Mr. Miller of Bungay;[420] who, as I remember my father to have said, in spite of blindness and multifarious occupations, attached himself to the book-selling trade with inconceivable ardour and success. But a word, Lisardo!

[Footnote 419: Lysander is right. Since the note upon Mr.

Ford's catalogue of 1810 was written (see p. 123, ante), the same bookseller has put forth another voluminous catalogue, of nine thousand and odd articles; forming, with the preceding, 15,729 lots. This is doing wonders for a provincial town; and that a _commercial_ one!! Of Mr.

Gutch's spirit and enterprise some mention has been made before at p. 404, ante. He is, as yet, hardly _mellowed_ in his business; but a few years only will display him as thoroughly _ripened_ as any of his brethren. He comes from a worthy stock; long known at our _Alma Mater Oxoniensis_:--and as a dutiful son of my University Mother, and in common with every one who is acquainted with his respectable family, I wish him all the success which he merits. Mr. George Dyer of Exeter is a distinguished _veteran_ in the book-trade: his catalogue of 1810, in two parts, containing 19,945 articles, has, I think, never been equalled by that of any provincial bookseller, for the value and singularity of the greater number of the volumes described in it. As Lysander had mentioned the foregoing book-vending gentlemen, I conceived myself justified in _appending_ this note. I could speak with pleasure and profit of the catalogues of booksellers to the _north of the Tweed_--(see p. 415, ante); but for fear of awaking all the frightful passions of wrath, jealousy, envy--I stop: declaring, from the bottom of my heart, in the language of an auld northern bard:

I hait flatterie; and into wourdis plane, And unaffectit language, I delyte:

(_Quod Maister Alexander Arbothnat; in anno_ 1572.)]

[Footnote 420: There is something so original in the bibliomanical character of the above-mentioned Mr. Miller that I trust the reader will forgive my saying a word or two concerning him. Thomas Miller of Bungay, in Suffolk, was born in 1731, and died in 1804. He was put apprentice to a grocer in Norwich: but neither the fragrance of spices and teas, nor the lusciousness of plums and figs, could seduce young Miller from his darling passion of reading, and of buying odd volumes of the _Gentleman's_ and _Universal Magazine_ with his spare money. His genius was, however, sufficiently versatile to embrace both trades; for in 1755, he set up for himself in the character of _Grocer_ and _Bookseller_. I have heard Mr. Otridge, of the Strand, discourse most eloquently upon the brilliant manner in which Mr. Miller conducted his complicated concerns; and which, latterly, were devoted entirely to the _Bibliomania_.

Although Bungay was too small and obscure for a spirit like Miller's to disclose its full powers, yet he continued in it till his death; and added a love of portrait and coin, to that of book, collecting. For fifty years his stock, in these twin departments, was copious and respectable; and notwithstanding total blindness, which afflicted him during the last six years of his life, he displayed uncommon cheerfulness, activity, and even skill in knowing where the different classes of books were arranged in his shop. Mr.

Miller was a warm loyalist, and an enthusiastic admirer of Mr. Pitt. In 1795, when provincial copper coins were very prevalent, our bibliomaniac caused a die of himself to be struck; intending to strike some impressions of it upon gold and silver, as well as upon copper. He began with the latter; and the die breaking when only 23 impressions were struck off, Miller, in the true spirit of numismatical _virt_, declined having a fresh one made. View here, gentle reader, a wood-cut taken from the same: "This coin, which is very finely engraved, and bears a strong profile likeness of himself, is known to collectors by the name of 'THE MILLER HALFPENNY.' Mr. Miller was extremely careful into whose hands the impressions went; and they are now become so rare as to produce at sales from three to five guineas."

_Gentleman's Magazine_; vol. lxxiv., p. 664.

[Illustration]]

LIS. Twenty, if you please.

LYSAND. What are become of Malvolio's busts and statues, of which you were so solicitous to attend the sale, not long ago?

LIS. I care not a brass farthing for them:--only I do rather wish that I had purchased the Count de Neny's _Catalogue of the Printed Books and Manscripts [Transcriber's Note: Manuscripts] in the Royal Library of France_. That golden opportunity is irrevocably lost!

PHIL. You wished for these books, to _set fire_ to them perhaps--keeping up the ancient custom so solemnly established by your father?[421]

[Footnote 421: The reader may not object to turn for one moment to p. 27, ante.]

LIS. No more of this heart-rending subject! I thought I had made ample atonement.

LYSAND. 'Tis true: and so we forgive and forget. Happy change!--and all hail this salubrious morning, which witnesses the complete and effectual conversion of Lisardo! Instead of laughing at our book-hobbies, and ridiculing all bibliographical studies--which, even by a bibliographer in the dry department of the law, have been rather eloquently defended and enforced[422]--behold this young bibliomaniacal chevalier, not daunted by the rough handling of a London Book-Auction, anxious to mount his courser, and scour the provincial fields of bibliography! Happy change! From my heart I congratulate you!

[Footnote 422: "Our nation (says Mr. Bridgeman) has been too inattentive to bibliographical criticisms and enquiries; for, generally, the English reader is obliged to resort to foreign writers to satisfy his mind as to the value of authors. It behoves us, however, to consider that there is not a more useful, or a more desirable branch of education than a knowledge of books; which, being correctly attained, and judiciously exercised, will prove the touchstone of intrinsic merit, and have the effect of saving many a spotless page from prostitution." _Legal Bibliography_; 1807, 8vo. (To the reader.)]

LIS. From the bottom of mine, I congratulate you, Lysander, upon the resuming of your wonted spirits! I had imagined that the efforts of yesterday would have completely exhausted you. How rapturously do I look forward for the SYMPTOMS OF THE BIBLIOMANIA to be told this morning in Lorenzo's ALCOVE! You have not forgotten your promise!

LYSAND. No, indeed; but if I am able to do justice to the elucidation of so important a subject, it will be in consequence of having enjoyed a placid, though somewhat transient, slumber: notwithstanding the occurrence of a very uncommon _dream_!

LIS. "I dreamt a dream last night;" which has been already told--but what was yours?

LYSAND. Nay, it is silly to entertain one another with stories of phantastic visions of the night. I have known the most placid-bosomed men grow downright angry at the very introduction of such a discourse.

PHIL. That may be; but we have, luckily, no such _placidly-moulded_ bosoms in the present society. I love this sort of gossipping during breakfast, of all things. If our host permit, do give us your dream, Lysander!

LIS. The dream!--The dream!--I entreat you.

LYSAND. I fear you will fall asleep, and dream yourself, before the recital of it be concluded. But I will get through it as well as I can.

Methought I was gently lifted from the ground into the air by a being of very superior size, but of an inexpressible sweetness of countenance. Although astonished by the singularity of my situation, I was far from giving way entirely to fear; but, with a mixture of anxiety and resignation, awaited the issue of the event. My Guide or Protector (for so this being must now be called) looked upon me with an air of tenderness, mingled with reproof; intimating, as I conceived, that the same superior Power, which had thus transported me above my natural element, would of necessity keep me in safety. This quieted my apprehensions.

We had travelled together through an immensity of space, and could discover the world below as one small darkened spot, when my Guide interrupted the awful silence that had been preserved, by the following exclamation: "Approach, O man, the place of thy destination--compose thy perturbed spirits, and let all thy senses be awakened to a proper understanding of the scene which thou art about to behold." So saying, he moved along with an indescribable velocity; and while my eyes were dazzled by an unusual effulgence of light, I found myself at rest upon a solid seat--formed of crystal, of prodigious magnitude.

My guide then fixed himself at my right hand, and after a vehement ejaculation, accompanied by gestures, which had the effect of enchantment upon me, he extended a sceptre of massive gold, decorated with emeralds and sapphires. Immediately there rose up a MIRROR of gigantic dimensions, around which was inscribed, in fifty languages, the word "TRUTH." I sat in mute astonishment. "Examine," said my Guide, with a voice the most encouraging imaginable, "examine the objects reflected upon the surface of this mirror." "There are none that are discernible to my eyes," I replied. "Thou shalt soon be gratified then," resumed this extraordinary being (with a severe smile upon his countenance), "but first let me purge thine eyes from those films of prejudice which, in the world you inhabit, are apt to intercept the light of TRUTH." He then took a handful of aromatic herbs, and, rubbing them gently upon my temples, gave me the power of contemplating, with perfect discernment, the objects before me.

Wonderful indeed was this scene: for upon the surface of the MIRROR the whole world seemed to be reflected! At first, I could not controul my feelings: but, like a child that springs forward to seize an object greatly beyond its grasp, I made an effort to leave my seat, and to _mingle_ in the extraordinary scene. Here, however, my guide interfered--and, in a manner the most peremptory and decisive, forbade all further participation of it. "_View_ it attentively," replied he, "and impress firmly on thy memory what thou shalt see--it may solace thee the remainder of thy days."

The authoritative air, with which these words were delivered, quite repressed and unnerved me. I obeyed, and intently viewed the objects before me. The first thing that surprised me was the representation of all the metropolitan cities of Europe. London, Paris, Vienna, Berlin, and Petersburg, in particular, occupied my attention; and, what was still _more_ surprising, I seemed to be perfect master of every event going on in them--but more particularly of the transactions of _Bodies Corporate_. I saw Presidents in their chairs, with Secretaries and Treasurers by their sides; and to whatever observations were made the most implicit attention was paid. Here, an eloquent Lecturer was declaiming upon the beauty of morality, and the deformity of vice: there, a scientific Professor was unlocking the hidden treasures of nature, and explaining how Providence, in all its measures, was equally wonderful and wise. The experiments which ensued, and which corroborated his ingenious and profound remarks, suspended a well-informed audience in rapturous attention; which was followed by instinctive bursts of applause.

Again I turned my eyes, and, contiguous to this scene, viewed the proceedings of two learned sister Societies, distinguished for their labours in _Philosophy_ and _Antiquity_. Methought I saw the spirits of NEWTON and of DUGDALE, looking down with complacency upon them, and congratulating each other upon the _general_ progress of civilization since they had ceased to mingle among men. "These institutions,"

observed my Guide, "form the basis of rational knowledge, and are the source of innumerable comforts: for the _many_ are benefitted by the researches and experiments of the _few_. It is easy to laugh at such societies, but it is not quite so easy to remedy the inconveniences which would be felt, if they were extinct. Nations become powerful in proportion to their wisdom; it has uniformly been found that where philosophers lived, and learned men wrote, there the arts have flourished, and heroism and patriotism have prevailed. True it is that discrepancies will sometimes interrupt the harmony of public bodies.

But why is perfection to be expected, where every thing must necessarily be imperfect? It is the duty of man to make the _nearest approaches_ to public and private happiness. And if, as with a sponge, he wipe away such establishments, genius has little incentive to exertion, and merit has still less hope of reward. Now cast your eyes on a different scene."

I obeyed, and, within the same city, saw a great number of Asylums and Institutions for the ignorant and helpless. I saw youth instructed, age protected, the afflicted comforted, and the diseased cured. My emotions at this moment were wonderfully strong--they were perceived by my guide, who immediately begged of me to consider the manner by which _epidemic maladies_ were prevented or alleviated, and especially how _the most fatal of them_ had been arrested in its progress. I attentively examined the objects before me, and saw thousands of smiling children and enraptured mothers walking confidently 'midst plague and death! I saw them, happy in the protection which had been afforded them by the most useful and most nutritious of animals!

"Enough," exclaimed my guide, "thou seest here the glorious result of a philosophical mind, gifted with unabatable ardour of experiment.

Thou wilt acknowledge that, compared with the triumph which SUCH A MIND enjoys, the conquests of heroes are puerile, and the splendour of monarchy is dim!" During this strain, I fancied I could perceive the human being, alluded to by my guide, retire apart in conversation with another distinguished friend of humanity, by those unwearied exertions the condition of many thousand poor people had been meliorated.

"There is yet," resumed my guide, "another scene equally interesting as the preceding. From a pure morality flows a pure religion: look therefore on those engaged in the services of CHRISTIANITY." I looked, and saw a vast number of my fellow-creatures prostrate in adoration before their Creator and Redeemer. I fancied I could hear the last strains of their hallelujahs ascending to the spot whereon I sat. "Observe," said my Protector, "all do not worship in the same manner, because all assent not to the same creed; but the intention of each may be pure: at least, common charity teaches us thus to think, till some open act betray a malignity of principle. Toleration is the vital spark of religion: arm the latter with the whips of persecution, and you convert her into a fiend scattering terror and dismay! In your own country you enjoy a liberty of sentiment beyond every other on the face of the globe. Learn to be grateful for such an inestimable happiness."

These words had hardly escaped my guide, when I was irresistibly led to look on another part of the Mirror where a kind of imperial magnificence, combined with the severest discipline, prevailed. "You are contemplating," resumed my preternatural Monitor, "one of the most interesting scenes in Europe. See the effect of revolutionary commotions! While you view the sable spirit of the last monarch of France gliding along, at a distance, with an air of sorrow and indignation; while you observe a long line of legitimate princes, exiled from their native country, and dependant upon the contributions of other powers; mark the wonderful, the unparalleled reverse of human events! and acknowledge that the preservation of the finest specimens of art, the acquisition of every thing which can administer to the wants of luxury, or decorate the splendour of a throne--the acclamations of hired multitudes or bribed senates--can reflect little lustre on THAT CHARACTER which still revels in the frantic wish of enslaving the world! It is true, you see yonder, Vienna, Petersburg, Stockholm, and Berlin, bereft of their ancient splendour, and bowing, as it were, at the feet of a despot--but had these latter countries kept alive one spark of that patriotism which so much endears to us the memories of Greece and Rome--had they not, in a great measure, become disunited by factions, we might, even in these days, however degenerate, have witnessed something like that national energy which was displayed in the bay of Salamis, and on the plains of Marathon."

My Guide perceiving me to be quite dejected during these remarks, directed my attention to another part of the Mirror, which reflected the transactions of the _Western_ and _Eastern_ world.

At first, a kind of _mist_ spread itself upon the glass, and prevented me from distinguishing any object. This, however, gradually dissolved, and was succeeded by a thick, black smoke, which involved every thing in impenetrable obscurity. Just as I was about to turn to my guide, and demand the explanation of these appearances, the smoke rolled away, and instantaneously, there flashed forth a thousand bickering flames. "What," cried I, "is the meaning of these objects?" "Check, for one moment, your impatience, and your curiosity shall be gratified," replied my guide. I then distinctly viewed thousands of _Black Men_, who had been groaning under the rod of oppression, starting up in all the transport of renovated life, and shouting aloud "WE ARE FREE!" One tall commanding figure, who seemed to exercise the rights of a chieftain among them, gathered many tribes around him, and addressed them in the following few, but comprehensive, words: "Countrymen, it has pleased the Great God above to make man instrumental to the freedom of his fellow-creatures. While we lament our past, let us be grateful for our present, state: and never let us cease, each revolving year, to build an altar of stones to the memory, of that GREAT and GOOD MAN, who hath principally been the means of our FREEDOM FROM SLAVERY. No: we will regularly perform this solemn act, as long as there shall remain one pebble upon our shores."

"Thus much," resumed my Guide, "for the dawning felicities of the _western_ world: but see how the _eastern_ empires are yet ignorant and unsettled!" I was about to turn my eyes to Persia and India, to China and Japan, when to my astonishment, the surface of the Mirror became perfectly blackened, except in some few circular parts, which were tinged with the colour of blood. "The future is a fearful sight,"

said my Guide; "we are forbidden its contemplation, and can only behold the gloomy appearances before us: they are ominous ones!"

My mind, on which so many and such various objects had produced a confused effect, was quite overpowered and distracted. I leaned upon the arm of the chair, and, covering my face with my hands, became absorbed in a thousand ideas, when a sudden burst of thunder made me start from my seat--and, looking forward, I perceived that the MIRROR, with all its magical illusions had vanished away! My preternatural Guide then placed himself before me, but in an altered female form. A hundred various coloured wings sprung from her arms, and her feet seemed to be shod with sandals of rubies; around which numerous cherubs entwined themselves. The perfume that arose from the flapping of her wings was inexpressibly grateful; and the soft silvery voices of these cherubic attendants had an effect truly enchanting.

No language can adequately describe my sensations on viewing this extraordinary change of object. I gazed with rapture upon my wonderful Guide, whose countenance now beamed with benevolence and beauty. "Ah!"

exclaimed I, "this is a vision of happiness never to be realized! Thou art a being that I am doomed never to meet with in the world below."

"Peace:" whispered an unknown voice; "injure not thy species by such a remark: the object before thee is called by a name that is familiar to thee--it is 'CANDOUR.' She is the handmaid of Truth, the sister of Virtue, and the priestess of Religion."

I was about to make reply, when a figure of terrific mien, and enormous dimensions, rushed angrily towards me, and, taking me up in my crystal chair, bore me precipitately to the earth. In my struggles to disengage myself, I awoke: and on looking about me, with difficulty could persuade myself that I was an inhabitant of this world. My sensations were, at first, confused and unpleasant; but a reflection on the MIRROR OF TRUTH, and its divine expositor, in a moment tranquillized my feelings. And thus have I told you my dream.

Lysander had hardly concluded the recital of his dream--during which it was impossible for us to think of quaffing coffee or devouring muffins--when the servant entered with a note from Lorenzo:

"My dear Friend,

"The morning is propitious. Hasten to THE ALCOVE. My sisters are twining honey-suckles and jessamine round the portico, and I have carried thither a respectable corps of bibliographical volumes, for Lysander to consult, in case his memory should fail. All here invoke the zephyrs to waft their best wishes to you.