Chapter IX: A Romaunce, in verse, ycleped Ipomydon; Emprynted at London in the (4)

The other Bibliographical Works which met my observation were,

The Catalogus Bibliothecæ Bodleianæ, 1738, in 2 vols. folio.

A Catalogue of the Books belonging to the King’s School at
Rochester.

Casley’s Catalogue of the Manuscripts in the King’s Library,
London, 1734, 4to.

Bibliographia Mathematica à Cornelis Beughem, Amstelodami, 1688.

Le Long, Bibliothèque Sacré; and

Warton’s History of English Poetry.

Of Scientific Works I noticed only,

Chambers’ Dictionary, in 4 vols. folio, with a separate volume
of plates.

Hill’s British Herbal, 1756, folio, in calf.

Miller’s Gardener’s Dictionary.

Newton’s Principia, Cantab. 1713, 4to.

Newton’s Optics, by Clarke, London, 1719, 8vo.

Oughtred, Clavis Mathematica, Oxonii, 1652, 8vo.

Wallis’s Mechanica, 1670, 4to. and

Several volumes of the Philosophical Transactions.

Of Etymological Works I observed merely Buxtorf’s Hebrew Lexicon; Hickes’ Thesaurus Septentrionalis, Oxonii, 1705, in 2 vols. folio; Du Cange’s Glossary, Francof. 1710, in 3 vols. folio; Scapulæ Lexicon; Junii Etymologicum Anglicanum, Oxonii, 1743, fol.; Calepini Dictionarium, Lugd. Bat. 1681, folio; Hoffmanni Lexicon Universale; Samuel Johnson’s English Dictionary; Stephani Thesaurus Linguæ Græcæ; and Nizolii Thesaurus Linguæ Latinæ.

The editions of the Classics contained in this Collection are not numerous; but of these I mention two volumes only of

Ciceronis Opera, Stephani. Parisiis, 1539, folio.

Ciceronis Opera, Oliveti. Oxonii, 1783, in 10 vols. 4to.

Euclidis Opera. Venetiis, 1505, folio.

Epictetus Uptoni. Londini, 1741, in 2 vols. 4to.

Homeri Opera. Basileæ, 1535, 4to.

Hesiodus, Robinsoni. Oxonii, 1737, 4to.

Livius, Drakenborchii, in 4 vols. 8vo.

Plutarchi Apophthegmata. Londini, 1741.

Pindarus. Romæ, 4to.

Quintilianus. Londini, 1641, 4to.

Tacitus, Brotierii, in 5 vols. 8vo.

Terentius, Bentleii. Cantabrigiæ, 1726, 4to.

Virgilii Opera, cum X. Comment. 1528, folio.

I may here mention, Bryant’s Mythology; Spence’s Polymetis; Coplestone’s Prælectiones Academicæ; and Arbuthnot’s Tables of Ancient Coins, 1754, 4to.

Of English Literature this Library cannot boast a copious selection, the principal Works which occurred to me, being only

Bacon’s Works, London, 1753, in 3 volumes, folio.

The Works of Locke and Mede.

Seldeni Opera per Wilkins, 1726, in 3 vols. folio.

Shakespeare, edited by Johnson, Stevens and Reid, London, 1803,
in 21 volumes, 8vo.

Butler’s Hudibras, edited by Grey.

Lastly, as a specimen of the lamentable prejudice which our forefathers entertained against Witches, I may mention Glanvil’s Saducismus triumphatus, 1681, 8vo.

From this cursory survey of the contents of the Rochester Cathedral Library, it will appear that its character is chiefly theological, and its interest centred in those impressions of the Sacred Scriptures, and Church Service Books which I have already so carefully described.

It is also refreshing to think that from the prebendal donations, a constant supply of fresh literature is provided for the support and ornament of the Library of the Dean and Chapter of Rochester.

Library of Salisbury.

This Library affords a pleasing instance of the proper appreciation of the tomes of olden time, having been restored by the exertions, and preserved by the care of its present Librarian.

The books it is true have suffered severely from past neglect, and some valuable manuscripts have been mutilated or lost, but those which remain are now treasured as they deserve, and to many of the printed books, substantial coats of calf skin have been given, the manufacture of a Salisbury Bibliopegist. The volumes themselves thus judiciously preserved are kept upon open shelves, in cases which are placed against the walls of a very dry and well lighted room, over the cloisters adjoining the Cathedral. The volumes are from four to five thousand in number, and in winter have the advantage of stove heat.

The Library itself was built by Bishop Jewel, whose portrait is appropriately placed over the fire place, but the books which it contains were principally given to the Dean and Chapter by Bishop Gheast.

The old Catalogue of this Collection had been mislaid at the time of my visit, but the Librarian very properly keeps a duplicate, which he compiled himself in alphabetical order.

The oldest portion of this Library of course consists of the Manuscripts, which have suffered much from time, but more from neglect. They embrace a great quantity of controversial divinity, with the usual proportion of Decretals and Glosses, Homilies and Psalters, including some curious illuminated Missals, among which the “Missale ad usum insignis et præclaræ ecclesiæ Sarum,” is also found.

The most rare manuscripts in this Collection are, Justiniani Institutiones Juris Civilis, cum Glossâ Accursianâ, which has been recently collated by the German editors of that work. Galfridi Monumetensis Historia, a very valuable inedited manuscript of the eleventh century; and the Gregorian Liturgy in the Saxon tongue.

Among the other manuscripts I noticed the Works of Saints Ambrose, Athanasius, Augustine, Jerome, Isidore, and Eusebius; Cassiodorus super Psalterium; Rabbani Lyra Commentarii; Epistolæ Patrum et aliorum; Gulielmi Monachi Meldunensis de Miraculis Beatæ Virginis Mariæ; Adhelm de laude Virginitatis; Beda de ratione temporis, torn at the corners; and some pieces by Thomas Aquinas.

To these I may add the Biblia Sacra; the Works of Boethius; Aristotle de Animalibus; the Chronicon Freculfi; and the Legenda Sanctorum.

The mention of this last work calls to my mind the once popular translation thereof, whose first appearance in the English language took place under the auspices of William Caxton.

The copy of Caxton’s Golden Legend, in this Library, is unfortunately imperfect both at the beginning and at the end, containing only the text from folio ii to folio ccccxiiii, inclusive. It has been very much cropt, measuring only ten inches and three quarters by seven and one eighth. It has been recently bound in calf so as to resemble as nearly as possible coeval binding.

This Collection also contains the “Lombardica historia quæ a plerisque Aurea Legenda Sanctorum appellatur; impressa Argentine, 1496, folio,” in double columns of Gothic letter, half bound.

I will proceed to notice the other early printed books in this Library, beginning with the well known, but seldom seen Apollonius Rhodius, printed in capital letters by Francis de Alopa, at Florence, about the close of the fifteenth century, in 4to. This copy unfortunately wants the greater portion of the last leaf, but is sound throughout, measuring very nearly nine inches and a quarter by six and three quarters, and is bound in old calf with red leaves.

Let us next take a specimen of the Milan Press: “Synonyma Simonis Genuensis Opus Impressum Mediolani per Antonium Zarotum parmensem anno dn̅i. M CCCC lxxiii. Die Martis III Augusti,” folio. This volume printed in double columns of Roman character is bound in russia.

Continuing our researches into obsolete divinity, we meet with

Duns Scotus, Impressum per Ioannem de Colonia, et Nicolaum
Jenson, 1481, 4to. in double columns of gothic letter, half
bound.

Duns Scotus, Liber Reportatorum, folio, in double columns of
gothic letter, half bound.

“Summa que Destructorium viciorum appellat,” Norimbergæ, per
Koburger, 1496, folio, half bound, in double columns of gothic
letter.

“Thomas Aquinas super IV Sententiarum, impendio Ioannis de
Colonia, Nicolai Jenson, sociorumque, 1481,” folio, in double
columns of gothic letter, bound in calf.

Augustus de Ancona, de Ecclesiæ Potestate, folio, in double
columns of gothic character, in russia.

Catho Moralizatus, Lugduni per Ioannem de Vingle, 1497, folio,
in the Roman character.

Aureum Opus de Veritate contritionis, 8vo. Parisiis, per
Franciscum Regnault, in the gothic character, bound in calf.

Inventarium Generale, &c. Basileæ per Jacobum Pfortzen, folio,
in double columns of gothic character, half bound.

Speculum Moralis Vincentii, Norimbergæ per Koburger, 1485,
folio, in double columns of gothic letter, imperfect at the
end, and bound in calf.

In addition to the above I may mention, the Duytsche Psalter, printed at Delfte in 1478, although the date by the lapse of the numeral L is printed 1428, a manifest error. This 18mo volume is bound in vellum with brass clasps. And two Church Service Books of Salisbury use, but of uncommon occurrence; the first being

“Missale ad usum ac consuetudinem Sarum
Parisiis
Ex officinâ libraria spectabilis viri Nicolai
Prevost. Impensis vero fidelissimi
mercatoris Francisci Byrckman,
MDXXVII.”

folio. In the beginning is the Kalendar occupying vii leaves, followed by the Missal containing folia cliiii, so numbered regularly, up to this place, where two unnumbered leaves of vellum intervene, the first of these is entitled Præfatio quotidiana, having the large wood cut of the Crucifixion on the reverse; and the second which is distinguished by the signature v. iiii, comprises the first portion of the “Canon.” The following leaf is numbered fo. clvii, being upon paper, and at folio clxx the Missal ends. The Sanctorale of 69 leaves then follows, and is succeeded by the Commune Apostolorum, whose leaves are regularly numbered fo. i-lxiii, with the following subscription at the conclusion:

“MDXXVII. tertio Calendas Martias.”

This noble folio is printed in double columns of bold gothic character, in very black ink occasionally enlivened with red. The present copy measures very nearly thirteen and a half by nine inches, and is bound in calf.

The second Service Book is the “Graduale ad veram et integram preclare ecclesie Sarum consuetudinem nuper Parisiis excusum. Venundatur Londonii à Francisco Byrckman apud cimiterium divi Pauli, M.DXXVIII,” folio. This volume is printed in double columns of the same bold black and red letter as the preceding, and is half bound in calf.

To these I may with much propriety add a noble specimen of the famous Junta Press, “Pontificale noviter impressum perpulchrisque characteribus diligentissimè annotatum.” Florentiæ, Lucantonii de Giunta, 1510, folio. This volume is printed in double columns of Roman character, in black varied with red, and is bound in old calf; to which may be appended the Breviarium Romanum & the Missale Romanum, 1670.

Let us now turn our attention to those impressions of the Sacred volume which are found within these walls, including,

Walton’s Polyglott Bible, with two copies of Castell’s Lexicon,
one of which is very fine.

The Holy Bible in English, of the date of 1539, in folio, in
double columns of black letter, but wanting the title, and
bound in primitive calf.

Biblia Hebraica, Aureliæ Allobrogum, 1509, folio, bound up with
the New Testament of the same date, in calf.

Biblia Hebraica Munsteri, Basileæ, 1534.

Biblia Latina Castalionis, Basileæ per Oporinum, printed in
double columns of Roman character.

Biblia Latina, 1528, 4to. in double columns of Roman character,
bound in russia; and the

Biblia Latina, Hanoviæ, 1624, folio.

to which I may add

The New Testament, by Erasmus, and the

Novum Testamentum Bezæ, 1588, in 4to.

In the Theological department, this Library contains among much that is valuable a great deal that is obsolete, a remark that may be extended to the other ancient collections attached to our Cathedral Establishments.

In the Divinity of the earlier ages we find the Works of several Fathers of the Church, namely, Athanasii Opera, Basileæ, 1514, folio, and Parisiis, 1627, in 2 vols. folio; Augustini Opera, Basileæ, 1586, in 5 vols. folio; Basilii Magni Opera omnia, Parisiis, 1638, 3 vols. folio; Chrysostomi Opera omnia, 1624, in 6 vols. folio, and edited by Savile, Etonæ, 1612, 8 vols. folio; Eusebii Opera, Basileæ, 1559; the Works of S.S. Ambrose, Cyprian, Cyril, Epiphanius, Jerome, and Origen, with his Homilies; Tertulliani Opera, Basileæ apud Joannem Frobenium, 1521, folio; and the Works of Philo Judæus, Gregory Nazianzen, and Justin Martyr; Theodoret and Theophylact.

Descending to a later period we have the Works of Calvin and Melancthon, of Grotius and Erasmus; Usserii Quæstiones de Ecclesiæ Christianæ, Hanoviæ, 1658; Lutheri Opera omnia Jenæ, 1612, in 4 vols. folio; Vossii Opera Sacra, Hagæ, Com. 1661; many early Commentators, and some Controversial pieces by Chamier and Bellarmine.

To these may be added the Critici Sacri, and Pole’s Synopsis; the Bibliotheca Polonorum Fratrum; Vitringa, Commentarius in Iesaiam; Leigh’s Critica Sacra, London, 1650; the Commentaries of Nicolas de Lyra; Zanchii Miscellanea Theologica, 1682; and Thomas Aquinas, Commentarii in Biblia, Parisiis, 1657, in 3 vols. folio.

I may here also mention the Works of Bishop Andrews, Allix, and Alison; Chillingworth’s Religion of Protestants; and a very fine copy of the Works of Bishop Jewel, London, 1565, here most appropriately placed. Also the Works of Barrow, Bishop Bramhall, Cudworth, Hall, Hammond, Jackson, Lowth, Lightfoot, Mede, Paley, Stillingfleet, Sherlock, and Waterland.

To which may be added, Jortin’s Discourses; Watson’s Apology; Routh’s Reliquiæ Sacræ; Archdeacon Daubeny’s Works; Twysden’s Vindication of the Church of England; Bishop Douglas’s Works; Pearson on the Creed; Hey’s Theological Lectures; Faber on Pagan Idolatry; and a “System of Divinity by the Rev. W. Davy in a course of Sermons;” Lustleigh, Devon, printed by himself, fourteen copies only, 1803, in 25 volumes 8vo. bound in calf. The corrections of the press being made by pasting in slips of printed paper between the leaves which require them. This singular and uncommon performance was presented to the Library by Bishop Burgess.

I may here mention Stackhouse’s History of the Bible; Bochart’s Geographia Sacra; Hales’ Chronology, in 4 vols. 4to.; and many Tracts relating to the Popish Controversy.

In Ecclesiastical History this Collection is so fortunate as to contain the Annals of Baronius, with the Supplement of Tornielli; the Concilia omnia, Coloniæ, 1538, in 2 vols. folio; and the Concilia Maxima in 15 vols. folio; Spelman’s Concilia; Wharton’s Anglia Sacra; Suiceri Thesaurus Ecclesiasticus; Bedæ, Historia Ecclesiastica, Colon. Agrip.; Brandt’s History of the Reformation in the Low Countries; Burnet’s History of the Reformation; Conibere’s Church History; Cressy’s Church History of Brittany; Dugdale’s Monasticon Anglicanum; Fuller’s Church History; Field’s Book of the Church; Fox’s Martyrs; the Martyrologium Romanum, Antverpiæ, 1613; Harpsfeld, Historia Anglicana Ecclesiastica, Duaci, 1622; Hooker’s Ecclesiastical Polity; Josephi Opera omnia, Genevæ, 1634, folio; Eusebii Historia Ecclesiastica, 1659; Gilpin’s Lives of the Reformers; Parker, de Antiquitate Britanniæ Ecclesiæ, Hanoviæ, 1605, folio; Reformatio Legum Ecclesiasticorum, 1640, 4to. in which no mention is made of Queen Elizabeth’s reforms; Reyner, de Apostolatum Ordinis Benedictinorum in Angliâ; Strype’s Memorials; Wordsworth’s Ecclesiastical Biography; Historiæ Ecclesiasticæ Centuriatores Magdeburgenses; and the Codex Theodosianus Gothofredi.

Of General History the list is exceedingly meagre, including Orosii Historia, Martini Chronicon, 1638; Mezeray’s History of France; De la Valle’s Voyage to Persia, 4to; Pococke’s Historia Arabum; Dousæ, Annales Metricæ Hollandiæ; Lendener, Tabula Historica, Chronologica, &c.; Grotii Annales de rebus Belgicis; Wheler’s Greece, 1682; Fuller’s Palestine; and Pitt’s Atlas.

Of Works relating to the History and Antiquities of England the Catalogue is much more copious, comprising, Viti de Antiquitate Britanniæ, 1597, two parts only in calf; Brady’s English History; Baker’s Chronicle, London, 1643, folio; Daniel’s History of England; Eadmeri Historia Novorum, edente Selden, London, 1623, folio, in calf; Camden’s Britannia; Matthæi Paris Historia Anglicana, edente Wats, Londini, 1740, folio; Matthæi Westmonasteriensis Flores Historiarum; Bates’ Elenchus Motuum; Clarendon’s Rebellion; Melvil’s Memoirs, 1683; Milles’ Catalogue of Honour; Wake’s Rex Platonicus, 1663; Waræus de rebus Hibernicis; Wilson’s Great Britain, 1653; Polydore Vergilii Historia Anglicana; Several Tracts relating to the time of Charles the First; and the Parliamentary Records of the Kingdom.

The Topographical Works include, Adam’s Index Villaris; Calthorpe’s Usages of the City of London; Clarke’s Parochial Topography of the Hundred of Wanting in the County of Berks, Oxford, 1824, 4to.; Marmora Oxoniensia, Oxonii, folio; Dodsworth’s Salisbury Cathedral, 1814, 4to.; and Somner’s Canterbury.

Of Law Books I found only the Corpus Juris Civilis, Lugd. Bat. 1652, folio; Dalton’s Justice of the Peace; Coke upon Littleton; Coke’s Institutes; Seldeni Fleta, seu Commentarius Juris Anglicani, 1647; Blount’s Law Dictionary, 1670; and Selden’s Mare Clausum.

In Etymology this Collection embraces Buxtorf’s Hebrew Lexicon; Cotgrave’s French Dictionary; Du Cange’s Glossary, 1678, in 3 vols. folio; Golii Lexicon Arabicum; Hickes’ Thesaurus Septentrionalis; Stephani Thesaurus, Scapulæ Lexicon; Vossii Etymologicum, Amstelodami, 1662; Wallis’ Grammatica, Oxonii, 1653; and Merceri Thesaurus Linguæ Sanctæ.

I will now proceed to enumerate the editions of the Classic Authors contained in this room, that the reader may be enabled to judge for himself of the value of this portion of the Salisbury Cathedral Library.

Ammianus Marcellinus. Parisiis, 1687.

Apollonius Rhodius, Stephani. Parisiis, 1754.

Apthonii Progymnasmata. Lugd. Bat. 1526.

Aristotelis Opera Basileæ, per Joannem Bebelium, 1531, in 2
vols. folio, half bound.

Archimedes. Basileæ, 1544, folio.

Athenæus. Basileæ, 1535, folio.

Ciceronis Opera omnia, 1654.

Demosthenes. Basileæ, 1532.

Diodorus Siculus. Parisiis, 1644, folio.

Euclid, 1678.

Euripides. Basileæ, 1544.

Herodotus, 1524, folio, in the original binding.

Horatius cum Commentariis. Venetiis, 1495, in the Roman
character, folio.

Hippocratis Opera. Basileæ, 1501.

Lucretius. Francofurti, 1631.

Manilii Astronomicon, 1590.

Plinii Historia Naturalis. Genevæ, 1631.

Plutarchi Opera. Lutet. Paris. 1624, 2 vols. folio.

Photii Bibliotheca, Hœschelii. Rothomagi, 1563.

Photii Epistolæ. Londini, 1651.

Polybius Casauboni, 1610.

Prudentius. Hanoviæ, 1613.

Pindarus Stephani, 1599.

Plautus. Neapoli, 1519.

Quintilianus, 1548.

Quintus Curtius. Parisiis, 1668.

Seneca. Basileæ, 1595.

Suetonius. Basileæ, 1673.

Themistii Opera. Venetiis, 1533.

Theophrastus. Lugd. Bat. 1613.

Vitruvii Architectura. Antverpiæ, 1624.

To the above I may add, Scaligeri Opera, Parisiis, 1610; Draudii Bibliotheca Classica, 1625, 4to.; Lipsii Opera; Avicennæ Canones Medici, Venetiis, 1595, in 2 vols. folio; Pauli Æginetæ Medici Opera, Basileæ, 1551, 8vo.; and the Works of Galen and Epictetus.

Of English Literature, the shelves of this Library present us with Bacon’s Novum Organum; King James’s Works; Isaac Barrow’s Optics and other Works; Spenser’s Faery Queen, 1611; Cowley’s Works; Brown’s Pastorals in two parts, with the third in Manuscript, as yet, I believe, unpublished. The printed portion of this interesting folio tome is dated at London in 1613. It is bound in calf. Donne’s Letters; Walton’s Lives; Digges’ Complete Ambassador; Evelyn’s Sylva; Harris’s Works; Moryson’s Works, 1617, folio; Nott’s edition of Howard and Wyatt’s Poems; and Symmons’ edition of Milton’s Works.

Of Scientific Works I observed merely Tycho Brahe; and Kepler’s Astronomy; Raii Historia Plantarum; and Napier on Logarithms.

And lastly of Bibliographical Works I noticed only Clavel’s General Catalogue of English Books; the old Catalogue of the Bodleian Library; and the Catalogus Librorum in Bibliothecâ Sionensi, 1650, folio.

Here are also many volumes which belonged to Izaak Walton, the father of Anglers, and were probably presented to this Library by his son Canon Walton. Twenty of the volumes bear his autograph, a list of which may be seen in Nicolas’s Life of Walton, App. p. clv.

The reader will not have failed to perceive the absence of works printed during the eighteenth century from this Library, and he may attribute the circumstance to the long interval during which this ancient Cathedral was suffered to remain in the most neglected state.

From this it has been rescued by the proper feeling of the existing Dean and Chapter, aided by the unremitting exertions of their present Librarian.

Many volumes, however, still remain buried in dust, and when the cobwebs of the last century have been brushed away, some works may probably be found not undeserving of notice.

Library of Wells.

The Library of the Dean and Chapter of Wells is kept in a very dry and sufficiently commodious apartment over that side of the cloisters which immediately adjoins the Cathedral. For many years it was very much neglected; and the office of Librarian remained in abeyance for the last fifty years, when it was recently revived in the person of Mr. Aldrit, the Master of the Collegiate Chapter Grammar School.

The books consisting of about 5000 volumes are arranged upon open shelves in projecting cases, with ample desks below each for the convenience of students. The chains they once wore are now thrown aside, though the rings whereby they were attached still remain upon many of the volumes. It cannot be denied that where the preservation of the binding is of any consequence, these manacles must do mischief; and when a Collection is kept under proper regulation, this injurious mode of protection may very well be dispensed with.

There is only one Catalogue in manuscript of this Library, written apparently about a century ago, in which the books are enumerated in alphabetical order, with a tolerably particular description of each book, and though the dates, imprints, and sizes of books are most unpardonably omitted, occasionally the contents of such Collections as Wharton’s Anglia Sacra are specified separately. This Catalogue is contained in two folio volumes, in vellum covers, with this common title: Catalogus Librorum in Bibliothecâ Wellensi.

The additions made to the Library since this Catalogue was written are neither numerous nor important, consisting chiefly of the ponderous volumes issued under the authority of the Record Commission. But a new Catalogue is now preparing by Mr. Aldrit, who has recently cleansed all the books from the accumulated dust of the last half century.

The first volumes which attracted my attention were a very fine set of Walton’s Polyglott Bible, with the Republican Preface, ruled with red lines, and bound in blue morocco, full charged with gilt tooling on the back, and bearing this superscription, “E dono Thomæ Hole, Eccl. Wellensis Cancellarii et Canonici.” The rings, by which the chains were formerly fastened, remain attached to these portly volumes.

Beside these stood Castell’s Lexicon in calf, and the Biblia Polyglotta Philippica per Ariam Montanum, in 8 volumes, folio, bound in calf; and of the other impressions of the sacred volume I noticed the Biblia Hebraica Wolfii, and per Joannem Leusden; Buxtorf’s Hebrew Bible, in a vellum cover; the Septuagint Version issued under the authority of Pope Sixtus V. and that printed at London, juxta exemplar Vaticanum, in 1543, 4to., together with that edited by Grabe in 4 volumes, folio, printed at Oxford in 1720. Biblia Latina Vulgata, Parisiis, 1545 and 1552, both in 4to.; the English Bible, London, by J. Bill, 1633, folio, with the Common Prayer of 1569, uniform in red morocco; Evangelia Gothica et Anglo-Saxonica; Novum Testamentum Græcum et Latinum Erasmi, Basil. 1539, and Græcum Millii, Oxon. 2 vols. folio, and Græcum Cantabrigiæ, 1632; Nov. Test. Hebr. Arab. et Syriac.; the Holie Bible, printed at Doway in 1609, in 2 vols. 4to; the New Testament, Antwerp, 1600, 4to.; to which I may add the impressions of the Common Prayer, in English, of 1552 and 1669; and in Welch and in Scotch, with the Processionale ad usum Ecclesiæ Sarum.

Works of Divinity form a large portion of this Library; the most important of which are the Works of S. Ambrose, S. Anselm, S. Athanasius, Thomas Aquinas, Atterbury, Allix, Allen, Andrewes, Abbot, S. Basil, Barrow, Beveridge, Bingham, Bossuet, Boyle, Bramhall, Burnet, Martin Bucer, Edmund Campion, Samuel Clarke, S. Cyril, 6 vols. folio; S. Cyprian, edited by Fell; Erasmus, Duns Scotus, Grotius, Fleetwood, Geddes, Gregory Nazianzen, Hooper, 1757; S. Hilary, Horne, Hammond, in 4 vols. folio; Irenæus, Lightfoot, Lactantius, Lowth, Patrick, Mede, Melancthon, Newton, Origen, Paley, Philo Judæus, Prideaux, Sancroft, Sherlock, Spanheim, South, Stillingfleet, Jeremy Taylor, Tillotson, with his Life by Birch; Tertullian, and Tennison. I also remarked the Commentaries of Abarbanal, Alexandri Alensis Universæ Theologiæ Summa, in 4 tom. folio; Augustini Opera, per Erasmum, in 10 vols. folio; Bellarmini Disputationum de Controversiis fidei Christianæ, tom. iv. folio; Bochart’s Geographia Sacra, and Hierozoicon; Bulli Opera, per Grabe; Bythneri Lyra Prophetica; Butler’s Analogy; Calvin’s Institutions; Casaubon’s Annotations and Commentaries; Chillingworth’s Religion of Protestants; Chrysostomi Opera, per Savile, 8 vols. folio; and in 13 vols. folio, in old calf; Clementis Alexandrini Opera, Gr. & Lat. per Heinsium et Sylburgium; Comber on the Liturgy; Newman’s and various other Concordances; Calmet’s Dictionary of the Bible, in dark old calf; Critici Sacri per Cornelium Bezam, in 9 vols. folio; Pole’s Synopsis; Jewel’s Apology; Davenant, Prælectiones Theologicæ; Doleman’s Conversions, Book the Third; Epiphanii Opera, per Petavium, 2 vols. folio; Farmer on the Demoniacs of the New Testament; Southey’s Book of the Church; Eusebii Hist. Ecclesiastica; Præparatio et Demonstratio Evangelica; Jortin’s Sermons; Boyle’s Lecture Sermons, 3 vols. folio, in calf; Hey’s Theological Lectures, 4 vols. 8vo. Justini Martyris Opera, Gr. & Lat. Sylburgii; Justiniani Institutiones, curâ Harris; Kett on the Prophecies; Bishop Ken’s Sermons and Tracts, with his Life; Lardner’s Testimonies and other Works; Leslie’s Theological Works, in 2 vols. folio; Leland on Deism and the Christian Revelation; Leigh’s Critica Sacra; Lloyd’s Church Government; Sanderson’s Sermons, and other Works; Bartholomæi de Saxoferrato Commentarii; Scott’s Christian Life and Sermons; Simon, Hist. Crit. Vet. Test.; Sleidan, Commentarii de statu Religionis et Reipublicæ; Bibliotheca Patrum, a fine set in calf; Calasio Concordantiæ Hebreæ, 4 vols. folio, in calf; Newcome’s Harmony and Minor Prophets; Tostati Opera Theologica, Venetiis, 1596, 13 vols. folio; Petavii Opera Theologica, Parisiis, 1550, 5 vols. folio, in old calf; Chamieri Controversiæ; Petri Martyris Loci Communes; Pearson on the Creed; Hooper’s Works, in old calf, gilt; Joannis Damasceni Opera, 2 vols. folio, in old calf; Clerici Comm. in Hagiographa, et Prophetas, &c.; Vitringæ Comm. in Iesaiam; Gale’s Court of the Gentiles; Bishop Kidder on the Pentateuch; Pococke on Malachi, Micah, Joel, and Hosea, 4 vols. folio, old calf; Cotelerii Patres Apostolici, curâ Joannis Clerici, Amstelod, 1724, 2 vols. folio, in calf; Petavii de doctrinâ temporum, Antverpiæ, 1703, in 3 vols. folio, in calf; Usher’s Annales Vet. Test. and other Tracts; Twysden’s Vindication of the Church of England from Schism, &c.; Wall on Infant Baptism; Warner’s Illustrations of Common Prayer; Warburton’s Divine Legation, 1765, 5 vols.; Zanchii Miscellanea Theologica; Suiceri Thesaurus Ecclesiasticus; and Hodius de Bibliorum Textibus, 4 vols. folio.

Of Ecclesiastical History, the principal Works which I noticed were the Constitutiones Legatinæ; Regionis Anglicanæ; Scripture Atlas, 1812; Othonis et Othoboni, cum annotationibus Joannis de Athona; Cave’s Lives of the Primitive Fathers; Baronii Annalium tomus primus, et Martyrologium Romanum, cum ejusdem Annalibus in Epitomen redactis, per Spondanum, 1639; Bedæ Historia Ecclesiastica; Bower’s History of the Popes; Usser de Antiq. Eccl. Britt. with his Life by Parr and Smith; Burnet’s Reformation; Concilia Generalia Ecclesiæ Catholicæ; Quick’s Synodicon in Galliâ Reformatâ; Sacrosancta Concilia per Labbe et Cossard, in 17 vols. folio, in old calf; Ecton’s Thesaurus; Fox’s Martyrs, in 3 vols. folio; Godwin’s English Bishops; Gothofredi Comment. in Codicem Theodosianum, in 4 vols. folio; Historia Ecclesiastica, per Magdeburgenses; Hooker’s Ecclesiastical Polity; Howell’s Synopsis Canonum, in 2 vols. folio; Jenning’s Jewish Antiquities; Josephus’ History of the Jews, translated by Lodge; Josephus Havercampi, 2 vols. folio, and Hudsoni, 1720, in 2 vols. folio; Basnage, History of the Jews; Spencer de Legibus Hebræorum; Jortin’s Ecclesiastical History; Corpus Juris Canonici, Paris, 1618; Codex Justiniani; Lyndewode’s Provinciale seu Constitutiones Angliæ; Annales Ordinis Benedictin. per Mabillon, Parisiis, 1703, 5 vols. folio, in French calf; Strype’s Memorials, Lives, and Annals; Tornielli Annales; Wharton’s Anglia Sacra; Wilkins’ Concilia Magnæ Britannicæ, in 4 vols. folio; and Saliani Annal. Eccles. V. T. Paris. 1641, folio.

It will be seen from the foregoing enumeration, however brief, that a very large portion of this Library is theological; indeed no less than thirteen pages of the Catalogue are occupied by Tracts on the Popish Controversy, four by the subject of Toleration, and three by that of Transubstantiation. There are also many other Tracts relating to the Reformation and the Revolution, and also to the Quakers.

This Collection also contains the Alcoranus Muhammedis, Arabicè, 1694, and Sale’s Koran.

Of General History I noticed but few works, the chief of which were Alstedii Thesaurus Chronologiæ; Baudrand, Lexicon Geographicum; Davila’s Civil Wars of France; Dodwell’s Dissertations; D’Anville’s Geography, 1812; the Collections of Grævius, in old calf; Corpus Juris Civilis Gothofredi; Lipsii Politicorum Libri VI.; Mezeray’s History of France; Heylin’s Cosmography; Howell’s History of the World, in old calf; Pococke’s Description of the East, 2 vols. folio; Potter’s Greece; Puffendorf’s Law of Nations; Robertson’s America, and Charles V.; Roscoe’s Lorenzo di Medici; Rycaut’s History of the Turks and of the Ottoman Empire; Scaliger de Emendatione Temporum; & Chronicon, Amstel. 1758, fol. calf; Simpson’s Chronicon Catholicon; Thuani Historia sui temporis, folio; the Universal History, in 21 vols. 8vo.; Wheler’s Greece; Shaw and Pococke’s Travels; Foster’s, Cook’s, and Hawkesworth’s Voyages; Browne’s Travels in Hungary and Germany; Park’s Travels; Wilson’s Pelew Islands; Webb’s Historical Essay upon China; Ximenes, Archiep. Tolet. Historia Arabum. Lugd. Bat. 1625; Zosimus, Historia Novorum, libri duo; and Gillies’ Greece.

Of English History and Antiquities, the list is rather more copious, as the following selection will testify: Adam’s Index Villaris; Rerum Anglicarum Scriptores Decem à Twysden; and the first volume only of Gale and Fell’s Collection; Bates’ Elenchus Motuum; Commentarii de Rebellione Anglica, 1640-85, per R. Manilium, Eq. Aurat.; Sir Robert Atkyns’s Historical Tracts; Baker’s Chronicle, folio; Chandler’s Life of Bishop Beckington; Bentham’s Ely; Boswell’s Johnson; Brady’s English History, and Introduction to the same; Britannia Rediviva; Epicedia Acad. Oxon. in obitum Henrici ducis Gloucestrensis; Notitia Academiæ Oxoniensis; Buchanan, Historia Scotorum; Camden’s Britannia, the first edition as well as that by Gibson; Somner’s Canterbury; Charlton’s Chorea Gigantum, 1663; Webb’s Vindication of Stonehenge restored; Inigo Jones’s Stonehenge; Clarendon’s Rebellion, 3 vols. folio; Daniel’s History of England; Drayton’s Polyolbion; Davies’ Celtic Researches; Dugdale’s Baronage; Origines Judiciales, Summons; Catalogue of the Lord Chancellors, and Troubles, Warwickshire, edited by Thomas, with an Epitome of his Monasticon Anglicanum, edited by Stevens; Aikin’s Elizabeth and James I.; Rymer’s Fœdera, a fine set of the original edition in old calf; Gibson’s Codex, and Chronicon Saxonicum; Guillim’s Heraldry; Kennett’s Parochial Antiquities; Langhorne, Elenchus Antiquitatum Albionensium; Heylin’s Life of Laud; Lyttelton’s Henry II.; Loggan, Oxonia et Cantabrigia Illustrata; Mackenzie’s Royal Line of Scotland; Cox’s Memoirs of Marlborough, in 6 vols. 8vo. with the Atlas in 4to.; Matthæi Paris Historia Anglicana; Matthæi Westmonasteriensis Flores Historiarum; Milton’s Defensio pro Populo Anglicano; Musgrave, Antiquitates Britanno-Belgicæ præcipuè Romanæ, 4 vols. 8vo.; the Harleian Miscellany, 8vo. in calf; Lord Herbert’s Life of Henry VIII.; Holinshed’s Chronicle, with Vowell’s Continuation; Hume’s History of England; Hutchin’s Dorset, the first edition; Journals of the Lords and Commons; Records, and Population Returns; Maitland’s London; Nalson’s Collections; Guil. Neubrigensis de Rebus Anglicanis; Plott’s Oxfordshire; Prynne’s Concordia Discors; Rushworth’s Historical Collections; Rerum nuper in Scotiâ Gestarum Historia, 1641; Viscount Tarbet’s Acts of Scotland, from 1685 to 1702, 4 vols. with many other Tracts relating to the History of the Scottish Nation and Church; Spotswode’s Church of Scotland; Sheringham, Disceptatio de Gentis Anglorum origine; Spelman’s Concilia, and Life of Alfred, with the Reliquiæ Spelmannianæ by Gibson; State Trials, by Cobbett, 11 vols. 8vo.; the Statutes at large; Cromwell’s Memoirs of Oliver Cromwell, 2 vols. 8vo.; Madox, Baronia Anglica, Firma Burgi, Formulare Anglicanum, and History of the Exchequer; Scriptores post Bedam, edente Savile; Tanner’s Notitia Monastica; Sir Wm. Temple’s Memoirs; Speed’s History of Great Britain; Polydore Vergil; Urbinas, Archidiaconus Wellensis, Historia Anglicana, Libris XXVII. with his other Works; Verstegan’s Restitution of Decayed Intelligence relative to English Antiquities; Cox’s Memoirs of Walpole; Walton’s Lives of Hooker and Sanderson; Whitelocke’s Memorials; Vita Guil. de Wickham Episc. Winton; Wood’s Athenæ, et Antiquitates Oxonienses; Maittaire, Marmora Oxoniensia, Londini, 1732, folio, in calf; and Francisci Wise, Nummorum Antiq. Bodl. Catalogus; to which may be added a Genealogical Chart of the House of Stuart, 1779, which hangs upon the wall of this Library.

Of Law Books, the chief appeared to be Blackstone’s Commentaries; Coke’s Reports in Law French; Dalton’s Country Justice; Durandi Speculum Juris; Coke upon Littleton; Fitzherbert, Natura Brevium; Blackstone’s Magna Charta, Oxford, 1759; Bracton de Legibus Angliæ, Londini, per Ricardum Tottel, 1569, folio; and Robinson’s Admiralty Cases, 1806, &c. 6 vols. 8vo. with the Statutes at large.

Of Etymology, this Collection comprehends Baxter’s Account of Llhuyd’s Archæologia; Du Cange, Glossary; Buxtorf’s Hebrew Lexicon; Cole’s English Dictionary; Cooper’s Thesaurus; Cotgrave’s French and English Dictionary; Harris’ Hermes; Hickes’ Thesaurus Septentrionalis, cum Wanleii Hist. Lit. Septentr. Oxon. 1705, 2 vols. folio; Giggeus, Thesaurus Arabicus; Golii Lexicon Arabicum; Hoffmanni Lexicon Universale; Junii Glossarium Gothicum, Dordraci, 1665, and his Etymologicum Anglicanum, 1743, folio; Llhuyd’s Archæologia; Scapulæ et Schrevelii Lexica; Skinner’s Etymologicum Linguæ Anglicanæ; Somneri Dictionarium Saxonico-Latino-Anglicanum, and his Glossary; Spelman’s Glossary; Stephani Thesaurus, in 4 vols. folio; Suidæ Lexicon, Kusteri, Cantabr. in 3 vols. folio; Vossius, Etymol. Ling. Lat. to which may be added several Greek, Latin, Italian, French, and English Dictionaries not requiring particular specification.

I now come to the great Authors of Antiquity, and shall be as concise as possible in my account of them, begging “the thorough-bred Bibliomaniac” to imagine the pleasure I felt in discovering a beautiful copy of the Aldine Aristotle, the first edition of the Works of that great philosopher in his own tongue, as sound and immaculate as when it first issued from the press at Venice. The five volumes have been rebound in the dark calf of the preceding century, with red lettering pieces; and within four of them is pasted the well known autograph of the celebrated Erasmus, “Sum Erasmi Roterodami,” from which we may reasonably conclude that this very set of books once appertained to that eminent scholar: a supposition which is strengthened by the circumstance of the donor of this Work having written in the third volume, immediately beneath the autograph just quoted, the following commemorative distich:

“Hæc ego dona dedi Wellensi Bibliothecæ
Turnerus nomen cui gulielmus erat.”

the altitude of these volumes is rather more than twelve inches, by eight inches and a quarter. “The ruler-carrying Bibliomaniacs” will thank me for being thus particular.

The other editions of the Classics being of lesser note, the names of the authors shall be succinctly given in alphabetical order: Æneas Tacticus Gr. Casauboni; Alciati Paradox. Lib. VI.; Athenagoras, Historia Augustæ Scriptores VI.; Aristophanes; Cæsar, Delphini, Catullus, Cicero, Lambini, Geneva, 1624, 4 vols. folio; Dares, Phrygius et Dictys Cretensis; Demosthenes, Dionysius Halicarnass. Ælius Lampridius Rom. Imp. Hist.; Hierocles Facetiæ & Versus Aurei; Herodiani lib. VIII. per Angelum Politianum; Homer, by Barnes; Horace, by Bond; Isocrates Stephani, 1604; Juvenalis Farnabii; Livius Gelenii et Thomæ Hearne; Longinus, Manilii Astronomicon; Macrobius Pontani; Martialis Raderi; Photius, Bibliotheca Hœschelii, Rothomagi, 1563, et ejusdem Epistolæ per Ricardum Montacutium, 1651, folio, in a vellum wrapper; Plinii Hist. Nat. Dalecampii; Plautus Lambini; Philostrati Opera Omnia, Lipsiæ, 1709, folio, in calf; Poetæ Minores Græci; Julii Pollucis Onomasticon; Polybius Casauboni; Procopius Hœschelii; Propertius; Quintilianus Gibsoni; Seneca Lipsii; Ælias, Spartianus; Strabo Casauboni; Suetonius Casauboni; Tacitus Lipsii; Tibullus, &c. Opera Cantabr., Theophrastus, Virgil, Minellii & Cantabr. 1701; & Baskerville’s edition; Flavii Vopisci Rom. Imp. & H. Boxhornii, to which I may add the Cambridge editions of Horace, Catullus, Tibullus, Propertius, Terence, & Virgil, 1701, 4to.; and Didymus in Homerum, accurante Schrevelio, Amstelod. ap. Elzevir, 4to.

Here I may also mention Lloyd, Dictionarium Histor. Geograph. et Poeticum à Stephano, Oxonii, 1671, folio; Allwood’s Literary Antiquities of Greece, London, 1779, 4to.; Middleton’s Cicero, Melmoth’s Pliny; Gesneri Bibliothecæ Epitome per Simlerum, Plutarch’s Lives, by North; Spence’s Polymetis; Salmasii Exercitationes Plinianæ; Ovid’s Metamorphoses, by Banier, illustrated by Picart, Amsterdam, 1732, folio, in old russia; Vossius de Historicis Græcis et Latinis.

Of Bibliography indeed, the Works I found here are so few, that I am almost ashamed to record merely the Acta Eruditorum, Lipsiæ, 1682; Blount’s Censura Literaria; Cave’s Scriptor. Eccles. Hist. Literar.; Du Pin’s Ecclesiastical Writers; Hyde’s Catalogue of the Bodleian Library; Nicolson’s Historical Library; Catalogus Libror. MSS. Angl. et Hibern. Oxonii, 1697; and “a Catalogue of such unlawful books as were found in the study of John Stowe of London, 1568.”

It only remains for me to notice such miscellaneous works as met my eye, in roving about the antique gallery in which they are deposited. To begin with the most obsolete, I may mention Petrus de Albano Heptameron, seu Elementa Magica; Agrippa de occultâ Philosophiâ; Blome’s Gentleman’s Recreation; Thomæ Mori Opera Latina; Johnstoni Historia Naturalis de Quadrupedibus, &c. 2 vols. folio; Jovii Illustrium Virorum Vitæ, in 2 vols. folio; Joannis Sarisburiensis Polycraticus et Metalogicus, and the Theory of the Earth, by Woodward and Burnet; Thomæ Willis, M. D. Opera Omnia, 2 vols. folio; and Wiseman’s Chirurgical Treatises.

In English Literature I remarked Chaucer’s Works, by Urry; Bacon’s Works, 1730, &c. in 4 vols. 4to.; Blacklock’s Poems; Beattie on Truth; Sir Thomas Browne’s Works; Sir Robert Cotton’s Works; Chambers’ Dictionary; Cowley’s Works; Evelyn on Medals; Grew’s Anatomy of Plants; Butler’s Hudibras, edited by Grey; Locke’s Works; Maundrell’s Journey; Milton’s Poems, edited by Newton; Harrington’s Oceana; Herbert’s Steps to the Temple; Humboldt’s Works, 8vo. calf; Orrery’s Letters; the Philosophical Transactions, in 4 volumes; Prior’s Poems; Pope’s Works, by Warburton, in 9 vols. 8vo.; some Tracts by Selden; Algernon Sydney’s Discourse concerning Government; Smollett’s Travels; Spenser’s Faery Queen; Stewart’s Political Economy; the Asiatic Researches, 12 vols. 8vo. very neatly bound in calf; Pennant’s British Zoology; Sullivan’s View of Nature, 6 vols. 8vo.; and Hartley on Man.

I may add what is very deserving of imitation in other places, that a tabular index of the contents of each case is hung at the end thereof, the books being specified exactly in the order in which they are placed on the shelves: a method which affords great facilities both to the casual visitor and the professed students.

The books are generally in excellent preservation, and chiefly in the sombre calf of the two last centuries, with some in vellum covers. And there is very properly a small book for the names of books borrowed from the Library, to be entered by those who have occasion for them.

Of the manuscripts formerly attached to this foundation I have made no mention, because they have chiefly perished through the united agency of time and neglect.

I may however cite, as an exception, an ancient Vulgate Bible, presented to the Cathedral by one of its Bishops, and add that a Chinese Manuscript is also extant, though the curiosity of strangers has greatly impaired both its integrity and appearance.

Library of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster.

This ancient and extensive Collection of Books is preserved in a room over the cloisters adjoining the time-honoured fabric of Westminster Abbey.

The true lover of the typographic art must here feel the full influence of the “Religio Loci,” recollecting that within these sacred precincts, William Caxton erected his Press, and bestowed on benighted England the benefits of the Art of Printing. It may be remarked that the only specimen of our earliest printer here preserved is a single leaf inserted at the end of Pynson’s Dives and Pauper, 1493, whose authenticity has been thus attested, “This appears to be a leaf from Caxton’s Chronicle, 1480. T. F. Dibdin.”

But to give the general reader some idea of the locale of this Library, I must borrow the descriptive pages of a transatlantic pen. “There are certain half-dreaming moods of mind, in which we naturally steal away from noise, and glare, and seek some quiet haunt, where we may indulge our reveries, and build our air-castles undisturbed. ‘In such a mood,’ says Washington Irving,[59] ‘I was loitering about the old gray cloisters of Westminster Abbey, enjoying that luxury of wandering thought which we are apt to dignify by the name of reflection; when suddenly an irruption of madcap boys from Westminster School, playing at foot-ball, broke in upon the monastic stillness of the place, making the vaulted passages, and mouldering tombs echo with their merriments. I sought to take refuge from their noise by penetrating still deeper into the solitudes of the pile, and applied to one of the vergers for admission to the Library. He conducted me through a portal rich with the crumbling sculpture of former ages, which opened upon a gloomy passage leading to the Chapter House, and the chamber in which Doomsday Book is deposited. Just within the passage is a small door on the left. To this the verger applied a key; it was double locked, and opened with some difficulty as if seldom used. We now ascended a dark narrow staircase, and passing through a second door, entered the library.

“‘I found myself in a lofty antique hall, the roof supported by massive joists of old English oak. It was soberly lighted by a row of gothic windows at a considerable height from the floor, and which apparently opened upon the roofs of the cloisters. An ancient picture of some reverend dignitary of the Church in his robes hung over the fire place. Around the hall, and in a small gallery were the books, arranged in carved oaken cases. They consisted principally of old polemical writers, and were much more worn by time than use. In the centre of the library was a solitary table, with two or three books on it, an inkstand without ink, and a few pens parched by long disuse. The place seemed fitted for quiet study and profound meditation. It was buried deep among the massive walls of the abbey, and shut up from the tumult of the world. I could only hear now and then the shouts of the school boys faintly swelling from the cloisters, and the sound of a bell tolling for prayers, that echoed soberly along the roofs of the abbey. By degrees the shouts of merriment grew fainter and fainter, and at length died away. The bell ceased to toll, and a profound silence reigned through the dusky hall.’”

I will not follow the lively American in his day dream among the dusty tomes, inasmuch as it is somewhat “lengthy,” and not sufficiently entertaining to warrant its transcription.

I must here, too, venture a protest against the ungrateful sentiment of our author, who “could not but consider the library a kind of literary catacomb, where authors, like mummies, are piously entombed, and left to blacken and moulder in dusty oblivion.”

Dropping the pencil of Geoffrey Crayon, I proceed with great satisfaction to examine the venerable remains enshrined within the “literary catacomb” of Westminster Abbey.

The Library of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster at present consists of eleven thousand volumes, but was formerly much more extensive, as many works, which appear in the old Catalogue, and are not found in the new, lamentably attests.

The old Catalogue of this Collection, arranged in alphabetical order, with titles, places, and dates, and with references to the shelves, bears the following title: “Catalogus Librorum in hac Bibliothecâ Westmonasteriensi. Octob. 22mo. 1726,” folio. It is bound in vellum, and has the armorial bearings of the Deanery stamped upon the cover. The new Catalogue was compiled by Dr. Dakin, the precentor, and contains the titles, places, dates, and sizes of the books, with reference to the shelves on which they are placed, very carefully arranged in alphabetical order, and clearly written by Mr. Marquet, in a large folio volume, secured by clasps. For this labour, completed in the year 1798, the Dean and Chapter, with a most commendable zeal for the preservation of their treasures of ancient learning, paid the sum of one hundred pounds.

The Library was originally deposited in one of the chapels, within the Abbey, but was removed to its present situation by the celebrated Williams, Archbishop of York, in the time of James the First.

Within the deep recesses of this venerable pile, “where all the air a solemn stillness holds,” the mind is naturally inclined to religious contemplation, and turns instinctively to the Book of Life.

Here too the Bibliographer may point with satisfaction to a very fine sound copy of the famous Complutensian Polyglott, 1515, in 6 volumes, folio, which though slightly stained, retains its original binding of stamped calf, and nearly its pristine dimensions, measuring fifteen and a quarter by ten and a half inches.

Meet companions of the first Polyglott Bible are,

The Biblia Polyglotta, Montani. Antverpiæ, apud Plantin, 1572,
in 8 vols. folio, &

The Biblia Polyglotta, Waltoni. Londini, 1657, in 6 vols.
folio, accompanied by the indispensable adjunct of Castell’s
Lexicon, in 2 similar volumes.

To these may be added,

The Biblia Sacra Quadrilingue, Wolderi. Hamburgi, 1596, folio.

Biblia Hebraica et Latina, Munsteri. Basileæ, 1546, in 2
volumes, folio.

Biblia Hebraica, Leusdenii. Amstelod. 1667, folio.

Biblia Hebraica, Houbigantii. Paris. 1753, 4 vols. folio.

Biblia Hebraica, Stephani. Paris. 1565, 7 vols. 24to.

Biblia Hebraica, Kennicottii. Oxonii, 1776, 2 vols. folio.

The Bomberg Hebrew Bible, printed at Venice, but without date,
in 3 volumes, folio; and another Impression of the Scriptures
in the Hebrew tongue, in 10 volumes, folio.

This Library also contains,

The first edition of the Scripture, in the Greek language,
being the Biblia Græca, Venetiis, in ædibus Aldi, 1518, folio.

The Biblia Græca, Hervagii. Basileæ, 1545, folio, &

The Biblia Græca. Francofurti, 1597, folio.

Among the Latin Bibles, may be noticed the

Biblia Latina, Castalionis. Basileæ, 1556, folio.

Biblia Latina, Stephani. Parisiis, 1557, folio.

Biblia Latina, Vulgata. Parisiis, 1558, folio.

Biblia Latina, Vatabli. Parisiis, 1584, folio.

Biblia Latina, Vatabli. Romæ, 1592, folio.

Biblia Latina, Vatabli. Antverpiæ, 1605, folio.

Biblia Latina, Tremellii et Junii. Genevæ, 1630.

Biblia Latina. Antverpiæ, 1645, 8vo.

Biblia Latina. Londini, 1653, 12mo.

Biblia Latina, Theod. Bezæ. Amstelod. 1669, 12mo.

To which may be added,

Grabe’s Septuagint, printed at Oxford, 1707, fol. and the
Septuagint, edited by Holmes and Parsons at Oxford, 1798, &c.
in 10 vols. folio.

The Biblia Sacra, Diodati. Genevæ, 1641.

The Biblia Arabica. Romæ, 1593, 4to. &

The Biblia Francois. Amsterdam, 1516, folio.

Of English Bibles, I noticed more particularly

Cranmer’s Bible of 1540, in folio.

The first and second editions of Parker’s, or the Bishop’s
Bible. London, by Richard Jugge, 1568, and 1572, folio.

The Bible of 1551, folio.

The Bible of 1617, folio.

The Bible of 1706, 4to.; together with

King James’s Bible of 1640, folio.

The Welch Bible, printed at London in 1588, folio; and in 1600; at Oxford in 1723; and at London in 1746, 8vo. here claim a passing notice.

Of editions of the New Testaments in English it may suffice to allude to those printed at London in 1706, 1708, 1711, 8vo.; and at Oxford in 1770, 8vo.; The Novum Testamentum Arabicum, 4to; the Novum Testamentum Syriacum, per Leusden. Lugd. Bat. 1717; the Novum Testamentum Græcum, per Fell, Oxonii, 1675, 8vo.; et Millii, Oxonii, 1707, folio; together with Kipling’s facsimile of the Codex Bezæ, Cambridge, 1793, folio; and the editions of Beza, Erasmus, Wetstein, and Stephens, 1549; the Coptic Version of Wilkins; and several French translations by Beausobre and others; Fulke’s New Testament, London, by the deputies of Chr. Barker, 1589; and the same, printed at London, by Augustine Matthews, 1633, both in folio.

I may add to the above the Evangelia IV. Græcè Theophylacti, Romæ, 1542; Evangelia Gothica Junii, 4to.; Wilkins’ Pentateuchus Copticus, Lond. 1731, 4to.; Psalterium Monasticum, Samueli, 1616, folio; Psalterium Quintuplex; Psalterium Antverpiæ, Plantin, 1608; Psalterium Hebraicum Græcum et è Codice Alexandrina, Oxonii, 1678, 12mo.; and many other editions of the Psalms of David.

Of Rituals and Forms of Prayers, I noticed the Welch Prayer Book of 1664, in folio; the Scotch Prayer Books of 1637 and 1661; and the English Prayer Books of 1549, 1552, 1616, 1661, 1683, and 1702; with Wheatley on the Common Prayer; and the Offices of the Church of England, Cambridge, 1751, 8vo.; Liturgia Latina Anglicana, Londini, 1574, 1688, and 1727, 12mo.; Liturgia Græca per Pinellum, Venetiis, 1603-1628, in 14 volumes, 4to.; Missale Romanum, Lugd. Bat. 1625; and Antverpiæ, 1625, 8vo.; several Roman Breviaries; a Parisian edition of the Horæ B. M. V. without date; and the Pontificale Romanum, 1611, folio.

Among the earlier Theological writers may be enumerated the Works of S.S. Ambrose, Anselm, Athanasius, Augustine, Basilius, Bernard, Chrysostom, Cyprian, Cyril, Epiphanius, Episcopius, Gregorius Eusebius, Byzantinus Nazianzenus, et Nyssenus, &c. Jerome, Hilary, Ignatius, Irenæus, Isidore, Lactantius, Tertullian, Theodoret, Theophylact, and others too numerous to mention.

It may be permitted me, however, to specify the Works of Alexander de Ales, Arnobius, Bede, Bellarmine, Bessarion, Beausobre, Bonaventura, Bossuet, Bourdaloue, Theodore Beza, Bochart, Bullinger, Calvin, Clemens Alexandrinus, Chytræus, Dallæus, Drusius, Le Clerc, and Duns Scotus; of Erasmus, Fulgentius, John Gerson, Grotius, Hospinianus, Justin Martyr, Lanfranc, Luther, Melancthon, Peter Martyr, Origen, Socinus, Suarez, Turretinus, Turrianus, and Zanchius.

To which may be properly added, Cassiodorus in Psalmos, Basileæ, 1491, folio; Nicolai de Lyra Commentarii, editio antiqua, sine loco aut anno. liber mancus, and another edition printed at Venice in 1603, folio; Bythneri Lyra Prophetica; Damasceni Opera Theologica; Lactantii Opera, Cantabrigiæ, 1686, 12mo.; Lutheri Opera, Wittebergæ, 1557-83, in 7 vols. folio; and those of Melancthon.

Among the Works of English Divines, I think it right to record those of Bishop Andrews, Atterbury, Barrow, Baxter, Bennet, Beveridge, Bingham, Bickerstaff, Bramhall, Bull, Calamy, Chillingworth, Claggett, Clarke, Conybeare, Bishop Cosin, Dodwell, Edwards, Fisher, Hall, Hammond, Hoadly, Hooper, Hopkins, Jeremy Taylor, Jackson, Jebb, Jenkins, Jewel, Jortin, Kennicott, Kennett, Lardner, Leslie, Lightfoot, Lowth, Bp. Ostervald, Outram, Pearce, Pierce, Perkins, Pococke, Prideaux, Archbp. Potter, Reynolds, J. Rogers, Secker, Sherlock, South, Stanhope, Stillingfleet, Sykes, Venn, Waterland, Whiston, Whitaker, White, Wilson, and others of minor note.

Here too may be noticed, Cave’s Primitive Christianity; and Lives of the Apostolic Fathers; Bowyer on the New Testament; Butler’s Analogy; Burnet on the thirty-nine Articles; Collier’s Sacred Interpreter; Conybeare on Revealed Religion; Cudworth’s Intellectual System; Cruden’s Concordance; Derham’s Astro- and Physico-Theology; Davenant on the Psalms; Drelincourt on Death; Fiddes’ Body of Divinity; Field of the Church; Duncan Forbes on Incredulity; Fulke on the New Testament; Gale’s Court of the Gentiles; Edwards on the Old and New Testament; Gastrell’s Institutes; Hall’s Meditations; Horne’s Introduction to the Scriptures; Jebb’s Theological Lectures, Cambridge, 1772; Ireland’s Popery and Paganism compared, London, 1809, and 1825; also his Nuptiæ Sacræ, 1821, 8vo.; Ken’s Manual; Leland on Deism; Lloyd on Church Government; Macknight’s Harmony of the Gospels; Mede on the Altar; Newman’s Concordance; Patrick’s, Pococke’s and Whitby’s Commentaries; Pearson on the Creed; Prideaux and Shuckford’s Connection; Scott’s Christian Life, and other Works; Secker’s Lectures, Sermons, and Charges; Tenison on Idolatry; Tillotson’s Works, London, 1707-20, and 35, in folio; Woolston on Miracles; Trapp’s Theological Works; Tyndale, Frith, and Barnes’ Works, London, 1573, fol.; Usher’s Annals, 1658, folio; Wake’s Genuine Epistles of the Apostolical Fathers; and his Work on the State of the Church; Wall on Infant Baptism; Warburton’s Works by Hurd, 1788, 4to.; West and Littleton on the Resurrection; Whiston’s Primitive Christianity, and other Works; Venn’s Whole Duty of Man; Wilkins on Natural Religion.

This Collection also embraces a variety of Sermons by different authors; among the most noticeable of whom are Bishops Gibson, Fleetwood, Hoadly, Atterbury, and Sharpe; Waterland, Wilkins, Gataker, Vincents, Conybeare, Stanhope, and Sanderson.

To the above I may add, Blackwall’s Sacred Classics; various Concordances by Schmidius, Kircher, & Buxtorf; Barwick’s Life of Dean Barwick; Birch’s Life of Tillotson; Calmet’s Dictionary of the Bible; Stackhouse’s History of the Bible, and his other Works; Barclay’s Apology; Osterwald’s Arguments, in French; and Pyle on the Epistles; Ioannis de Turrecremata, Summa Theologiæ, Lugduni, 1496, 8vo.; Limborch, Theologia Christiana; Leigh’s Critica Sacra; Junii Opera Theologica; Vincentii Speculum Doctrinale, Venetiis, 1494, folio; Sixti Senensis Bibliotheca Sancta; Hulderici Zuinglii Opera; Zonaræ Canones et Annales; Petri Blesensis Opera Omnia; Thomæ Aquinatis Opera, Antverpiæ, 1612, folio; Stapletoni Opera, & Whitakeri Opera, Genevæ, 1610, folio; the Bibliotheca Veterum Patrum, Colon. Agrip. 1618, in 14 volumes, folio; the Bibliotheca, S.S. Patrum, Col. Agr. 1622, in 15 folio volumes; Cotelerii Patres Apostolici; Dacherii Spicelegium; the Critici Sacri; Pole’s Synopsis; Eusebii Præparatio et Demonstratio Evangelica; Boethii Opera, Basileæ, 1570, folio; Martin Bucer, Scriptores Anglicani; the Works of Buchanan; Lyndewoode’s Provinciale of 1557, & Oxonii, 1679; Outram de Sacrificiis; and other Works of the earlier ecclesiastics, of which the selection I have made may serve as very fair specimens of the whole.

I may here notice Day’s Service Book, 1565, with music; the Tenor, Morning and Evening Prayer, imperfect, but of which only three or four copies are known; Barnard’s Cathedral Music, only found elsewhere at Berlin; and several English Music Books of great rarity; Boyce and Arnold’s Cathedral Music; also that of Arne, Bassani, Corelli, Fiocco, Gasparini, Handel, Pergolesi, and Scarletti; Madrigals by Colonna, Foggia, Gratiano, and Marenzio, forming a very valuable Collection of Church Music; here also is preserved the Missal of Nicolas Litlington, Abbot of Westminster in 1362; together with the Pupilla Oculi of John de Burgh, a work of which every priest possessed a copy.

There are also in this Library a Collection of Tracts, formed about the year 1760, so numerous that the brief enumeration of them occupies ninety-one pages and a half of the great folio Catalogue, compiled in 1798. Of these fugitive pieces very many relate to the Controversial Divinity of the early part of the last century; others treat of Popery, the Muggletonians, the Test Acts, and the Miracles of the Gospel; Warburton on the Alliance between Church and State; with his Remarks on Pope’s Essay on Man; Whitfield’s Journals, 1740; Westley’s Appeal, 1745; Bentley on the State of Trinity College, Cambridge, 1710; Addison’s Cato, and the Publisher, Nos. 1, 2, and 3, 1745, 8vo. also form part of this Series of Tracts.

Here also are many Political Pieces, especially some relating to the last Rebellion, such as German Politicks, 1744; the Highlander delineated, 1745; the complicated Guilt of Rebellion, 1745; and the History of two imposters, Lambert Linne and Perkin Warbeck, 1745; to which I may add the Iter Surriense et Sussexiense, 1752, 8vo.; and other Tracts much too insignificant for notice.

The mention of the preceding articles leads us at once into the interesting region of History, and directs our observation to those works which in this Collection are found to illustrate the History of England.