"dressed" The Catalogue, the united workmanship of Father and Son, was in a suit of the best superfine. It was neither stinted by parsimonious detail, nor distended by needless amplification. The more sparkling gems were well set. The bidders, although comparatively few, were of eager look-out, ready grasp, and keen appetite; and they were satisfied to their heart's content. Since the good old times of the Roxburghe, Stanley, and Marlborough sales (for those of Sykes and Hibbert were of more recent occurrence), there had not been seen such a sprinkling of slim and racy quartos in the genuine black-letter attire; some few of them perhaps unique. One of the cheapest volumes of the whole collection was that of Cutwode's Caltha Poetarum, or the Bumble Bee, 1599, 4to., which was sold for only 8l. 58. and which was borrowed of its owner, by the late Mr. Heber, to be re-printed by the latter as his offering to the Roxburghe Club. But, as it is our object to preserve as complete a record as possible of the literary curiosities which made their appearance upon this occasion, we shall enumerate the more remarkable articles as they occurred in the Catalogue. Date. 1633. The Battailes of Crescey and Poictiers, a poem by Charles Aleyn 1585. Orpheus his Journey to Hell. By R. B. A Poem in six-line stanzas 1549. Canticles, or Balades of Solomon, phrase lyke declared in English metres. Imprinted by William Baldwin 1575. Last part of the Mirour of Magistrates. By Wm. Baldwin 1612. Cornucopie, Pasquil's Night-cap, &c. By Nicholas Breton 1626. Pasquil's Madcappe. By Nicholas Breton 1600. Pasquil's Mistresse. By Nicholas Breton 1614. I would and would not; a poem, by Nicholas Breton 9 0 6 6 5 2 6 1598. Saint Peter's Path to the Joys of Heaven; a poem, by Wm. Broxup An exceedingly rare poem, written by a Roman Catholic, and evidently printed for private distribution. It is written in six-line stanzas, the second of which contains some curious allusions to various of Shakespeare's works.” 1594. The Shadow of Night. By George Chapman 3.18 4 19 0000000 9 15 0 1596. Penelope's Complaint; or a Mirrour for Wanton Minions. Taken out of Homer's Odissea, and written in English Verse, by Peter Colse. [An author not mentioned by Ritson; he writes in the six-line stanzas, "the firstlings of my scholers crop."] 1618. Muses' Welcome to King James in Scotland, fol. n. d. Arnold's Chronicle of London, supposed to have been printed by Treveres, in 1521. Mr. Herbert's copy, with his MS. notes 1582. Rerum Scoticarum Historia, per Georgium Buchananum. First edition, "Liber Thomæ Morrei, ex Dono illustrissimi Comitis Bedford. 1583. Jan. 11." 1657. Poems, being a Fardle of Fancies, &c. by Hugh Crompton 1621. Poems, or a Poeticall Rapsodie, by F. Davison 69 n. d. Poemes Lyrick and Pastorall: Odes, Eclogs, the Man in the Moone. An edition unknown to Ritson, Warton, &c. but supposed to have been printed about 1605 1555. Letter sent in to Scotlande of the arivall of Phillippe, Prynce of Spaine. (See Dibdin's Ames, vol. iii. p. 525) 1587. The Song of Songs, that is, the most excellent song which was Solomons, translated out of the Hebrue into English meeter. By Dudley Fenner. Printed at Middleburgh by Richard Schilders 1636. A Fig for Fortune, a poem by Anthony Copley Date. 1625. Belgiaes Troubles and Triumphs. A poem, by Wm. Crosse n. d. Dicta Sapientu. The Sayenges of the Wyse me of Greece in Latin with the Englysshe folowyng, whiche are enterpretate and truely castigate, by the most famous doctour maister Erasmus Rote, &c. Printed by Thomas Berthelet, the Latin and English in alternate lines, an edition not noticed by Herbert Ames, or Dibdin, 1549. Erasmus's Praise of Folie, Englished by Sir Thomas Chaloner, and printed by Thomas Berthelet 1579. The First Parte of the Eyghth liberall science, entituled Ars Adulandi, The Arte of Flatterie. By Vlpian Fulwell. Interspersed with poetry and sonnets 1575. Poesies of George Gascoigne. Comedie, by the same, 1575; 1601. Ciceronis Amor, Tullies Loue. 1616. Another edition of the same Glass of Government, a Tragicall 1611. Never too late, two parts, by the same 1616. Another edition 1616. Arcadia, by the same 1616. Mourning Garment at the funerals of Love. By the same 1617. Farewell to Follie, by the same 1617. Alcida, Greenes Metamorphosis 1620. A Quip for an upstart Courtier, by the same 1634. Evphves his Censvre to Philavtvs, by the same (1647.) Poems by George Daniel, a manuscript* 1554. De Confessione Amantis, by Gower 1664. Love's Kingdom, a Pastoral Trage-Comedy, by Richard Flecknoe 1591. Of the Russe Common Wealth, by Giles Fletcher n. d. Discourse of great Crueltie of a Widow towards a young Gentleman, a black-letter poem, printed by Henrie Binneman 1579. Ephemerides of Phialo, by Stephen Gosson 1569. An Orthographie. By J. Hart, Chester Heralt 1596. The Metamorphosis of Ajax. By Sir John Harington+ (To be continued.) This author does not appear to have been known to any of the writers on the English poets. On page 1, are two portraits (in oil colours), representing the author, George Daniel, aged 30, and his brother Thomas, aged 29. On p. 3 occurs a title, being "Poems written upon Severall Occasions, apud Beswicke, 1646." On p. 5 is another portrait of the author at the age of 29. On p. 14 are autograph commendatory metrical lines on the Poems, by Thomas Crompton (who was a Colonel in the army, and kinsman of Hugh Crompton the poet); the small poems then commence, ending on leaf 79, followed by "Vervicensis, a poem" (in octavo stanza), and numerous other "Scattered Fancies." On leaf 213 occurs a painting, representing the author's retirement in a wood, followed, on leaf 214, by "IОлŸÃOгIA," or Severall Ecloges, the first revived from some papers formerlie written 1638, the rest written 1648, apud Brantingham." At the end of these occurs, in p. 258, a letter from the author to his brother, dated Beswick, 1651, followed by "Ecclesiasticus" paraphrased, wherein, on p. 290, the author is, at the age of 32, again represented. On p. 312 commence, in six-line stanzas, "The Severall Raigns of Richard the Second, Henry the Fourth, and Henry the Fifth." Prefixed to which is a frontispiece, representing a naked female in a wood, Idyllia. Small poems then conclude the volume." +"Interesting from having been the author's own copy, and being illustrated with numerous additions and notes in his own hand. It is fully described in Herbert's Ames, vol. ii. p. 1258. Among the MS. additions is, on the back of the title, "An Epigram of the booke hanging in cheyns, to ye Ladyes ;" and on the title-page is written" Seen and disallowed." It is well known that the book, not without reason, gave great offence to Queen Elizabeth. MR. HEBER'S LIBRARY. A few words will be expected from us relative to the approaching sale of the wonderful Library of the late Richard Heber, Esq. of Hodnet Hall, near Shrewsbury. We say "approaching sale," without pretending to be informed of the exact period when even any portion of it is likely to be brought under the public eye. Mountains are not hewn into pieces like hillocks, and granite is necessarily of slower operation in its fracture than limestone. Whatever hands are employed upon this work, are likely to be long and laboriously employed; nor will they, it is to be hoped, be employed in vain. The public will naturally anticipate a prosperous result, prosperous alike for the cause of Bibliography and the interests of the relations of the deceased. It is no common cause which here calls for a union of patience, toil, skill, taste, and judgment, such as have never been before exercised upon materials of similar extent and value. For the honour of philology, and the imperishable bookfame of the late owner of the Library, we sincerely hope that the Catalogue will be a classed one, and that every book will have its separate lot. PRIVATELY PRINTED BOOKS. A Bibliographical Catalogue of Works Privately Printed; including those of the Roxburghe, Bannatyne, and Maitland Clubs, and the productions of the Private Presses at Strawberry Hill, Auchinleck, Darlington, Lee Priory, Newcastleupon-Tyne, and Broadway. By John Martin, F.L.S. 8vo. THIS portion of bibliography is peculiarly interesting to collectors of book rarities, and at the same time is not altogether unimportant either as it respects the history of literature or the other branches of knowledge which are occasionally illustrated by Privately printed Books. Some valuable historical notices, and many biographical sketches, as well as topographical collections and genealogical history, have not unfrequently been saved from destruction by the means of the private printing press, however small the number of copies that have come into circulation. Dr. Johnson, that great advocate of public usefulness, has enlarged upon the advantages of preserving these rare tracts in his Essay on the origin and importance of Fugitive Pieces; and a perusal of Mr. Martin's Catalogue, which has been compiled with infinite labour and research, will afford ample proof of the justice of his remarks. The difficulty of procuring notices of rare books is sufficiently obvious, and the author was doomed to encounter another perplexity; in the early part of his Catalogue, in particular, he found it "Not easy to ascertain whether many of the works which are called privately printed, are strictly entitled to that distinction. The absence of a publisher's name is by no means a certain indication; many of the volumes were written on points of religious or political controversy, and were naturally put forth in a manner that might not draw down the arm of the law upon the printer; but that they were distributed secretly, and might be purchased, there can be little doubt. Many were imported from abroad, and a list of them may be seen in Strype's Life of Archbishop Parker, vol. ii. pp. 244-5. These bearing no place or publisher's name are frequently designated as privately printed, an erroneous conclusion, as it was simply from fear of prosecution that these marks are found wanting."—P. 1. The Catalogue comprises, in the first place, about 800 articles from the time of Queen Elizabeth to the present period, in chronological order, pp. 1 to 314. These are, strictly speaking, unpublished works; but amongst the books printed at private presses and for distribution amongst the members of literary clubs, the subject of the second part of the Catalogue, are included many that were published for sale. Of some of the most scarce volumes Mr. Martin has given a condensed, but faithful analysis. It is true that works of exalted genius cannot be expected to exist among the unpublished; but there are no books upon which more attention and greater expence have been occasionally bestowed. "The Engravings, &c. of the principal Statues, Busts, &c. in the collection of Henry Blundell, Esq. at Ince," 2 vols. folio, 1809, (described in p. 116,) and the “Museum Worsleyanum," 2 vols. folio, 1794, (in p. 80,) are amongst the most splendid books ever produced. Of this character also is "The Scrope and Grosvenor Roll," from the press of Mr. Samuel Bentley, which is faithfully described as reflecting the highest credit upon the typographical art, in p. 303. The earliest volume in the Catalogue is "De Antiquitate Britannicæ Ecclesiæ et privilegiis Ecclesiæ Cantuariensis; cum Archiepiscopis ejusdem 70. An. Dom. 1572," folio. This was printed at Lambeth, by John Day, at the expense of Matthew Parker, the second Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury; who maintained for the purpose limners, wood-cutters, and book-binders within the palace.* Of the twenty-one copies of this scarce volume, mentioned by Dr. Drake in his handsome edition of the book published in 1724, Mr. Martin has actually seen and collated sixteen, no two of which were found to be alike. He adds the following" hue and cry," which we quote in order to induce others to join in the pursuit. "In Lord Spencer's copy I find a note stating that there is a copy at Holkham. Whether the splendid copy sent to the Lord Treasurer (Burghley), which Parker The plate affixed to this notice (for the loan of which we are obliged to Mr. Martin), is a reduced fac-simile of the binding of Queen Elizabeth's copy of this very rare volume, now in the British Museum. The material is green velvet, and the embroidery is raised in deep relief with silver thread and foil, and variously coloured silk thread. The colours have generally faded with the exception of the large flowers, which are of a carnation hue. The design evidently conveys a quaint conceit on the Archbishop's name of Parker, the margin of pales indicating a park, containing figures of deer browsing, lodged, springing, and tripping, agreeably to the heraldic taste of that period. The other side of the book presents a similar design, but with variations. The large group of flowers is omitted to make room for an additional deer, which is sleeping, and two snakes. The four other deer are the same as those before us, excepting that the springing one is not looking back. The park-pales differ in a few particulars: the wicket door is open, and there are openings as if pales were broken out in the other part of the gate; the openings at the side are not like windows, but lower (and perhaps represent deer-leaps); in another part some of the pales are omitted to make room for the head of the browsing deer. The back of the book was ornamented with five flowers in squares; but two are now defaced by leather labels. The height of the volume is eleven inches, and the width eight inches. With great deference to Mr. Martin's judgment, we should rather have imagined this copy to have once belonged to the Archbishop himself, as bearing his own device, and that the Queen's book would have been embroidered with the royal arms. Green and silver, in which the cover is worked, were the Tudor colours, equally applicable to him as a servant of the Crown. It will be recollected that Dr. Dibdin has devoted a whole chapter of his Decameron (the Eighth Day) to the subject of Book-binding; but he does not make any remarks on this particular style. He only mentions one book, a Psalter, which belonged to Queen Mary, and now in the Bodleian Library, which is "bound with a large flower worked in tambour upon one side of it," and he suggests it may have been Mary's own working. Such suppositions are generally gratuitous; but yet there are two books which appear to have good claim to display the needle-work of the Princess Elizabeth. One of them, the Bodleian MS. 235, is described in Nichols's Progresses of Q. Eliz.; it contains St. Paul's Epistles, with some religious remarks in Elizabeth's writing, and on the cover are mottos, with a heart and a star worked with gold twist on black silk. The Royal MS. (Brit. Mus.) 7 D. x. may also be fairly presumed to be Elizabeth's work in its exterior as well as interior. It is a volume of Prayers, written on vellum, and addressed to her father. The red velvet cover has, on either side, a monagram apparently composed of the letters R H K N A and E, highly raised in silver-thread, with the letter H above and below, and a rose at the four corners. It is remarkable that a transcript of this volume, probably made by one of the royal family, exists among the MSS. belonging to the King's (or Georgian) Library, its cover being also a copy of the original, only with a new monogram on one of the sides. The Royal MS. 12 C. VIII. bound in leather, has a loose cover of red velvet, ornamented on each side with the Prince of Wales's feathers, worked with pearls, within a border worked with silver thread. This may possibly have been a cover shifted with the book in use, made either for Henry Prince of Wales or Prince Charles. The MS. it now covers was presented to King Henry VIII. Mr. Pickering, of Chancery-lane, has a small Bible, 12mo. 1638, the covers of which are worked in silk with tulips and heartsease. states he had bound costly and laid in colours the arms of the church of Canterbury impaled with his own paternal coat,' still remains in the library of his descendant, I have been unable to ascertain." "The editor has since been informed by the Rev. Archdeacon Wrangham, that there is a copy in the Cathedral library at York; and he has also heard that there is another in the library of the Dean and Chapter at Durham."-P. 5. The number and variety of the articles described by Mr. Martin makes it impossible for us to detail the contents of his Catalogue; which is executed in a satisfactory manner, conveying information of the most interesting nature relative to the particular class of books of which it treats. His Grace the Duke of Bedford occupies the most prominent place as a printer of books for private distribution. The Venerable Archdeacon Wrangham, who has the honour to possess the largest collection of unpublished works, has himself, it appears, printed a Catalogue which is thus designated and described : "A Catalogue of the English Portion of my Library. How many square feet of reading,' cried I, are here collected.' Malton, 1826, 8vo. pp. 642.-This Catalogue is compiled by its learned owner, the Venerable Archdeacon Wrangham; it includes an account of most of the books contained in it, their author, their subject, or their edition. Only seventy copies were printed, which have never been distri buted. In this Catalogue will be found the most numerous collection in the kingdom, of that class of works which it is the endeavour of the editor of this work to describe, and he is under the greatest obligations to Archdeacon Wrangham for much valuable assistance, as well as information of several interesting works which, but for his kindness, would in all probability have escaped his notice. The library is deposited in the rectory-house at Hunmanby, near Scarborough.”—P. 235. Amongst the more interesting portions of the volume before us, we must direct particular attention to the notice of the Catalogue of the Royal Library, 5 vols. folio, 1820-1829, and to that of the Sketch Book of Inigo Jones, lithographed in 1831, at the expence of his Grace the Duke of Devonshire. The account of books printed at private presses is very copious and full of information, occupying more than half the volume. These treasures form a feature much esteemed in the libraries of book collectors. A complete set of Strawberry Hill works absolutely confers a species of celebrity on the collection in which it is known to be deposited; while the true bibliomaniac exhibits with the highest satisfaction his entire set of Roxburghe Club books, which are chiefly remarkable for the splendor of their typography and beauty of their paper (some indeed are printed on vellum); presenting a powerful contrast to the twenty-six octavo volumes of divinity, fourteen copies only of which were actually printed by the poor author himself, the Rev. William Davy, between the years 1796 and 1807, and, as he expressed it, pro bono publico. Blomefield, the historian of the county of Norfolk, was another private printer from necessity; he not only was his own printer and corrector of the press, but his own bookseller, or rather hawker, aud as each part of his laborious history was completed, he sent his man, Tom Blazely, about the country with the numbers. The lists given by Mr. Martin of the books printed by members of the Roxburghe, Bannatyne, and Maitland Clubs, are far more complete than any that have hitherto appeared.* We have not space to give extracts upon the present occasion; but on some future opportunity, when we propose to inform the public more generally of what has been produced by those societies, we shall gratefully avail ourselves of Mr. Martin's information. In perfecting his lists of the productions of the several private presses enumerated in his title-page, the editor has been indefatigable. The antiquary, in particular, will thank him for that which enumerates the multifarious pieces printed by Sir Thomas Phillipps at Broadway. On the whole, we think this work is one which may fairly be recommended for its utility as well as its curiosity. It is printed in a style worthy of the subjects on which it treats, and the embellishments are tasteful and appropriate. * In the account of the Roxburghe Club will be found a very ample description of the state of the Boccacio at Blenheim, of the same edition as that of the more celebrated Roxburghe copy. |