rarest occurrence. The lovers of Caxton, Fabian, Hardyng,
Hall, Grafton, and Holinshed, may be highly gratified by
inspecting the various editions of these old chroniclers. I
entreat the diligent bibliographer to examine the first
eight articles of page 209 of the catalogue. Alas, when will
all these again come under the hammer at one sale?!

10. _Topography._

Even to a veteran, like the late Mr. GOUGH, such a
collection as may be found from p. 217 to p. 239 of this
catalogue, would be considered a first-rate acquisition. I
am aware that the gothic wainscot, and stained glass
windows, of _Enfield Study_ enshrined a still more exquisite
topographical collection! But we are improved since the days
of Mr. West; and every body knows to _whom_ these
improvements are, in a great measure, to be attributed. When
I call to mind the author of '_British Topography_' and
'_Sepulchral Monuments_,' I am not insensible to the taste,
diligence, and erudition of the "par nobile fratrum," who
have gratified us with the '_Environs of London_,' '_Roman
Remains_,' and the first two volumes of '_Magna Britannia_!'

The preceding is to be considered as a very general, and
therefore superficial, analysis of the catalogue of Mr.
West's library; copies of it, with the sums for which the
books were sold, are now found with difficulty, and bring a
considerable price. I never saw or heard of one on LARGE
PAPER!]

[Footnote 45: "A catalogue of rare books and tracts in
various languages and faculties; including the _Ancient
Conventual Library_ of Missenden-Abbey, in Buckinghamshire;
together with some choice remains of that of the late
eminent Serjeant at law, WILLIAM FLETEWODE, Esq., Recorder
of London, in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth; among which are
several specimens of the earliest Typography, foreign and
English, including CAXTON, WYNKYN DE WORDE, PYNSON, and
others; a fine collection of English Poetry, some scarce old
law-books, a great number of old English plays, several
choice MSS. upon vellum, and other subjects of literary
curiosity. Also several of the best editions of the
Classics, and modern English and French books. To begin
_December_ 5, 1774, and the 17 following evenings, precisely
at half an hour after five."

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