-active exertions in the
cause of VIRTU--whether connected with coins, pictures, or books--can
never be banished, at least, from my grateful mind:--And if, at this
solemn hour, when yonder groves and serpentine walks are sleeping in
the quiet of moon-light, your spirits could be seen placidly to flit
along, I would burst from this society--dear and congenial as it
is--to take your last instructions, or receive your last warnings,
respecting the rearing of a future age of bibliomaniacs! Ye were, in
good earnest, noble-hearted book-heroes!--but I wander:--forgive me!

[Footnote 382: "_A Catalogue of the entire and valuable
library of_ MARTIN FOLKES, Esq., President of the Royal
Society, and Member of the Royal Academy of Sciences at
Paris, lately deceased; which will be sold by auction, by
Samuel Baker, at his house in York Street, Covent-Garden. To
begin on Monday, February 2, 1756, and to continue for forty
days successively (Sundays excepted). Catalogues to be had
at most of the considerable places in Europe, and all the
booksellers of Great Britain and Ireland. Price sixpence."
This collection was an exceedingly fine one; enriched with
many books of the choicest description, which Mr. Folkes had
acquired in his travels in Italy and Germany. The works on
natural history, coins, medals, inscriptions, and on the
fine arts in general, formed the most valuable
department--those on the Greek, Latin, and English classics
were comparatively of inferior importance. It is a great
pity the catalogue was not better digested; or the books
classed according to the nature of their contents. The
following prices, for some of the more rare and interesting
articles, will amuse a bibliographer of the present day. The
chronicles of Fabian, Hall, and Grafton, did not,
altogether, bring quite 2_l._, though the copies are
described as perfect and fair. There seems to have been a
fine set of Sir Wm. Dugdale's Works (Nos. 3074-81) in 13
vols., which, collectively, produced about 30 guineas! At
the present day, they are worth about 250_l._--In _Spanish
literature_, the history of South America, by John Duan and
Ant. di Ulloa, Madr., fol., in 5 vols., was sold for 5_l._:
a fine large paper copy of the description of the monastery
of St. Lorenzo, and the Escorial, Madr., 1657, brought 1_l._