s of this second room is absolutely magical; Such copies of such
rare, precious, magnificent, and long-sought after impressions!... It is
fairy-land throughout. There stands the _first Homer_, unshorn by the
binder; a little above, is the first _Roman edition of Eustathius's_
Commentary upon that poet, in gorgeous red morocco, but printed UPON
VELLUM! A Budaeus _Greek Lexicon_ (Francis I.'s own copy) also UPON VELLUM!
The _Virgils, Ovids, Plinies_ ... and, above all, the _Bibles_--But I check
myself; in order to conduct you regularly through the apartments, ere you
sit down with me before each volume which I may open. In this second-room
are two small tables, rarely occupied, but at one or the other of which I
was stationed (by the kind offices of M. Van Praet) for fourteen days--with
almost every thing that was exquisite and rare, in the old book-way, behind
and before me. Let us however gradually move onwards. You pass into the
third room. Here is the grand rendezvous of readers. Six circular or rather
oval tables, each capable of accommodating twelve students, and each
generally occupied by the full number, strike your eye in a very pleasing
manner, in the centre of this apparently interminable vista of printed
volumes.

But I must call your particular attention to the _foreground_ of this
magical book-view. To the left of this third room, on entering, you observe
a well-dressed Gentleman (of somewhat shorter stature than the author of
this description) busied behind a table; taking down and putting up
volumes: inscribing names, and numbers, and titles, in a large folio
volume; giving orders on all sides; and putting several pairs of legs into
motion in consequence of those orders--while his own are perhaps the least
spared of any. This gentleman is no less a personage than the celebrated
Monsieur VAN PRAET; one of the chief librarians in the department of the
printed books. His aspect is mild and pleasant; while his smart attire
frequently forms a striking contrast to habiliments and personal
appearances of a very different, and less conciliating description, by
which he is surrounded.[16] M. Van Praet must be now approaching his
sixtieth year; but his age sits bravely upon him--for his step is rapid and
firm, and his physiognomical expression indicative of a much less
protracted period of existence.[17] He is a Fleming by birth; and, even in
shewing his first Eustathius, or first Pliny, UPON VELLUM, you may observe