,
has described him in a simple, but appropriate, manner. "He
seemed," says he, "to have attained to universal knowledge;
for, in the many opportunities I have had of being in his
company, almost every part of science has happened to be the
subject of discourse, all of which he handled as an adept.
He was a man of great politeness in his manners, free from
all pedantry and pride, and, in every respect, the real,
unaffected, fine gentleman."]

ALMAN. Pray keep to this earth, and condescend to notice us mortals of
flesh and blood, who have heard of Dr. Mead, and Martin Folkes, only
as eminently learned and tasteful characters.

LYSAND. I crave your forgiveness. But Dr. Mead's cabinet of coins,
statues, and books, was so liberally thrown open for the public
inspection that it was hardly possible for modest merit, if properly
made known to him, to depart unrewarded or ungratified. Nor does the
renowned President of the Royal and Antiquarian Societies--Martin
Folkes--merit a less warm eulogy; for he filled these distinguished
situations with a credit which has never since been surpassed.

But there is yet an illustrious tribe to be recorded. We have, first,
RICHARD RAWLINSON,[383] brother of the renowned _Tom Folio_, whose
choice and tasteful collection of books, as recorded in auctioneering
annals, is deserving of high commendation. But his name and virtues
are better known in the University, to which he was a benefactor, than
to the noisy circles of the metropolis. The sale of ORATOR HENLEY'S
books "followed hard upon" that of Richard Rawlinson's; and if the
spirit of their owner could, from his "gilt tub," have witnessed the
grimaces and jokes which marked the sale--with the distorted
countenances and boisterous laughter which were to be seen on every
side--how it must have writhed under the smart of general ridicule, or
have groaned under the torture of contemptuous indignation! Peace to
Henley's[384] vexed _manes_!--and similar contempt await the efforts
of all literary quacks and philosophical knaves!

[Footnote 383: "BIBLIOTHECA RAWLINSONIANA, _sive Catalogus
Librorum Richardi Rawlinson_, LL.D. Qui prostabunt Venales
sub hasta, Apud Samuelem Baker, In Vico dicto York-street,
Covent Garden, Londoni, Die Lunae 29 Marti MDCCLVI." With the
following whimsical Greek motto in the title-page:

[Greek: Kai gar o taos dia to spanion thaumazetai].