_Walter Hemingford, praefat._, p. CIV. In his preface to
_Alured de Beverly_, pp. v. vi., the copious stores of
Rawlinson's library, and the prompt kindness of the
possessor himself, are emphatically mentioned; while in the
preface to _Titi Livii Foro-Juliensis Vit. Henrici V._, p.
xi., we are told, of the former, that it was "plurimis
libris rarissimis referta:" and, in truth, such a
"Bibliotheca refertissima" was perhaps never before beheld.
Rawlinson was introduced into the Tatler, under the name TOM
FOLIO. His own house not being large enough, he hired
_London House_, in Aldersgate Street, for the reception of
his library; and there he used to regale himself with the
sight and the scent of innumerable black letter volumes,
arranged in "sable garb," and stowed perhaps "three deep,"
from the bottom to the top of his house. He died in 1725;
and catalogues of his books for sale continued, for nine
succeeding years, to meet the public eye. The following is,
perhaps, as correct a list of these copious and
heterogeneously compiled catalogues, as can be presented to
the reader. I am indebted to the library of Mr. Heber for
such a curious bibliographical morceau. I. _A Catalogue of
choice and valuable Books in most Faculties and Languages;
being part of the Collection made by Thomas Rawlinson,
Esq._, which will begin to be sold by auction at Paul's
Coffee House, the West-end of St. Paul's, 4th Dec., 1721,
beginning every evening at 5, by Thomas Ballard, bookseller,
at the Rising Sun, Little Britain. 12mo. Price 1s. 144
pages.----II. _A Catalogue_, &c., being the 2nd part of the
Collection by T. Rawlinson, Esq., to be sold by auction at
Paul's Coffee-House, 7th March, 1721-2, every evening at 5,
by T. Ballard. 12mo. Price 1s., paged on from the last, pp.
145 to 288. [These two parts contain together 1438 8vo.
lots; 1157 in 4to., 618 in folio.]----III. _A Catalogue_,
&c., being the third part of the Collection by T. Rawlinson,
Esq., to be sold by auction at Paul's Coffee-House, 17th
Oct., 1722, every evening at 5, by T. Ballard. 12mo. Price
1s. (no paging or printer's letter.)----IV. _A Catalogue_,
&c., being the 4th part of the Collection by T. Rawlinson,
Esq., to be sold by auction at Paul's Coffee-House, 2nd
April, 1723, every eve