ich the dissolution of
the monastic libraries had caused to be accumulated at Caen, that Moysant
and his colleagues now devoted themselves with an assiduity as heroic as it
was unintermitting. But the health of our generalissimo, which had been
impaired during his residence in England, began to give way beneath such a
pressure of fatigue and anxiety. Yet it pleased Providence to prolong his
life till towards the close of the year 1813: when he had the satisfaction
of viewing his folios, quartos, octavos, and duodecimos, arranged in
regular succession, and fair array; when his work was honestly done; and
when future visitors had only to stretch forth their hands and gather the
fruit which he had placed within their reach. His death (we are told)[130]
was gentle, and like unto sleep. Religion had consoled him in his latter
moments; and after having reposed upon its efficacy, he waited with perfect
composure for the breathing of his last sigh! Let the name of MOYSANT be
mentioned with the bibliomaniacal honours which, are doubtless its due!...

From Librarians, revert we to books: to the books in the PUBLIC LIBRARY of
Caen. The oldest printed volume contained in it, and which had been bound
with a MS, on the supposition of its being a manuscript also, is
Numeister's impression of _Aretinus de Bella adversus Gothos_, 1470, folio;
the first book from the press of the printer. I undeceived M. Hebert, who
had supposed it to be a MS. The lettering is covered with horn, and the
book is bound in boards; "all proper." The oldest _Latin Bible_ they
possess, is of the date of 1485; but there is preserved one volume of
Sweynheym and Pannartz's impression of _De Lyra's Commentary upon the
Bible_, of the date of 1471-2, which luckily contains the list of books
printed by those printers in their memorable supplicatory letter to Pope
Sixtus IV. The earliest Latin Classic appears to be the _Juvenal_ of 1474,
with the _Commentary of Calderinus_, printed at Rome; unless a dateless
impression of _Lucan_, in the earliest type of Gering, with the verses
placed at a considerable distance from each other, claim chronological
precedence. There is also a _Valerius Maximus_ of 1475, by Caesaris and
Stol, but without their names. It is a large copy, soiled at the beginning.
Of the same date is Gering's impression of the _Legenda Sanctorum_; and
among the Fifteeners I almost coveted a very elegant specimen of _Jehan du
Pre's_ printing (with a device us