iating. "Some one had told him that I had
written about the Abbe Rive, and that I was partial to his work. Would I do
him the favour of a visit? when I might see, at his house, (_Rue du Vieux
Colombier, pres St. Sulpice_) the whole of the Abbe's MSS. and all his
projected works for the press. They were for sale. Possibly I might wish to
possess them?" I thanked the stranger for his intelligence, and promised I
would call that same morning.

M. Morenas has been indeed a great traveller. When I called, I found him
living up two pair of stairs, preparing for another voyage to Senegal. He
was surrounded by _trunks_ ... in which were deposited the literary remains
of his uncle. In other words, these remains consisted of innumerable
_cards_, closely packed, upon which the Abbe had written all his memoranda
relating to ... I scarcely know what. But the whole, from the nephew's
statement, seemed to be an encyclopaedia of knowledge. In one trunk, were
about _six thousand_ notices of MSS. of all ages; and of editions in the
fifteenth century. In another trunk, were wedged about _twelve thousand_
descriptions of books in all languages, except those of French and Italian,
from the sixteenth century to his own period: these were professed to be
accompanied with critical notes. In a third trunk was a bundle of papers
relating to the _History of the Troubadours_; in a fourth, was a collection
of memoranda and literary sketches, connected with the invention of Arts
and Sciences, with Antiquities, Dictionaries, and pieces exclusively
bibliographical. A fifth trunk contained between _two and three thousand_
cards, written upon on each side, respecting a collection of prints;
describing the ranks, degrees, and dignities of all nations--of which
eleven folio _cahiers_ were published, in 1779--without the letter-press--
but in a manner to make the Abbe extremely dissatisfied with the engraver.
In a sixth trunk were contained his papers respecting earthquakes,
volcanoes, and geographical subjects: so that, you see, the Abbe Rive at
least fancied himself a man of tolerably universal attainments. It was of
course impossible to calculate the number, or to appreciate the merits, of
such a multifarious collection; but on asking M. Morenas if he had made up
his mind respecting the _price_ to be put upon it, he answered, that he
thought he might safely demand 6000 francs for such a body of miscellaneous
information. I told him that this was a sum muc