enthusiastic,
even to madness, in the respective pursuits into which the latter branch
out; but my means are slender--and my aversion to my _business_ is just
about in proportion to my fondness for _books_. Examine, gentlemen, and try
your fortunes."

I scarcely needed such a rhetorical incitement: but alas! the treasures of
M. Pluquet were not of a nature quite to make one's fortune. I contrived,
with great difficulty, to pick out something of a _recherche_ kind; and
expended a napoleon upon some scarce little grammatical tracts, chiefly
Greek, printed by Stephen at Paris, and by Hervagius at Basil: among the
latter was the _Bellum grammaticale_ of E. Hessus. M. Pluquet wondered at
my rejecting the folios, and sticking so closely to the duodecimos; but had
he shewn me a good _Verard Romance_ or a _Eustace Froissart_, he would have
found me as alert in running away with the one as the other. I think he is
really the most enthusiastic book-lover I have ever seen: certainly as a
Bibliopolist. We concluded a very animated conversation on all sides: and
upon the whole, this was one of the most variously and satisfactorily spent
days of my "voyage bibliographique."

On the morrow, the mysterious and amiable M. ---- was with me betimes. He
said he had brought a _basket of books_, from his hermitage, which he had
left at a friend's house, and he entreated me to come and examine them. In
the mean while, I had had not only a peep at the Tapestry, but an
introduction to the mayor, who is chief magistrate for life: a very Caesar
in miniature. He received me stiffly, and appeared at first rather a
priggish sort of a gentleman; observing that "my countryman, Mr.
STOTHARD,[143] had been already there for six months, upon the same errand,
and what could I want further?" A short reply served to convince him "that
it would be no abuse of an extended indulgence if he would allow another
English artist to make a fac-simile of a different description, from a very
small portion only."[144]

I now called upon the Abbe Fetit, with a view to gain admission to the
_Chapter Library_, but he was from home--dining with the Bishop. In
consequence, I went to the palace, and wrote a note in pencil to the Bishop
at the porter's lodge, mentioning the name of M. Lair, and the object of my
visit. The porter observed that they had just sat down to dinner--but would
I call at three? It seemed an age to that hour; but at length three o'clock
came, and I