'

Upon Dr. Mead's death his place in the book-world was taken by Dr.
Anthony Askew, who travelled far and wide in search of rare editions and
large-paper copies. In describing the sale of his books in 1775 Dibdin
almost lost himself in ecstasies over the magnificent folios, and the
shining duodecimos 'printed on vellum and embossed with knobs of gold.'
It has been said that with this sale commenced the new era in
bibliography, during which such fabulous prices were given for fine
editions of the classics; but the date should perhaps be carried back to
Dr. Mead's time. Some credit for the new development should also be
ascribed to Joseph Smith, who collected early-printed books and classics
at Venice, while acting as English consul. His first library was
purchased by George III. in 1762, and now forms the best part of the
'King's Library' at the British Museum. His later acquisitions were sold
in 1773 by public auction in London. Among other classical libraries of
an old-fashioned kind we should notice the Osterley Park collection, only
recently dispersed, which was formed by Bryan Fairfax; it was purchased
_en bloc_ in 1756 by Mr. Francis Child, and passed from him to the family
of the Earl of Jersey.

Topham Beauclerc housed his thirty thousand volumes, as Walpole declared,
in a building that reached halfway from London to Highgate; his
collection was in two parts, of which the first was mainly classical, and
the other was very rich in English antiquities and history. In 1783 was
sold almost the last of the encyclopaedic collections which used to fill
the position now occupied by great public libraries. Mr. Crofts possessed
a treasury of Greek and Roman learning; he was especially rich in
philology, in Italian literature, in travels, in Scandinavian affairs;
'under the shortest heads, some one or more rare articles occur, but in
the copious classes literary curiosity is gratified, is highly feasted.'

Dr. Johnson's books were dispersed in a four-days' sale in 1785. A copy
of the interesting catalogue has lately been reprinted by The Club. The
most valuable specimen, as a mere curiosity, would be the folio with
which he beat the bookseller, but we suppose that very little on the
whole was obtained for the 662 lots of learned volumes that had sprawled
over his dusty floor. The Doctor had but little sympathy with the
fashions that were beginning to prevail. He laughs in the _Rambler_ at
'Cantilenus' with his first edit