nd consequent
prevention, of the disease: let us, therefore, describe it more
certainly and intelligibly.

[Footnote 48: There is a short, but smart and interesting,
article on this head in Mr. D'Israeli's _Curiosities of
Literature_, vol. 1. 10. "Bruyere has touched on this mania
with humour; of such a collector (one who is fond of superb
bindings only) says he, as soon as I enter his house, I am
ready to faint on the stair-case from a strong smell of
morocco leather. In vain he shows me fine editions, gold
leaves, Etruscan bindings, &c.--naming them one after
another, as if he were showing a gallery of pictures!"
Lucian has composed a biting invective against an ignorant
possessor of a vast library. "One who opens his eyes, with
an hideous stare, at an old book, and, after turning over
the pages, chiefly admires the _date_ of its publication."]

Symptoms of this disease are instantly known by a passion for I.
_Large Paper Copies_: II. _Uncut Copies_: III. _Illustrated Copies_:
IV. _Unique Copies_: V. _Copies printed upon Vellum_: VI. _First
Editions_: VII. _True Editions_: VIII. _A general desire for the Black
Letter_. We will describe these symptoms more particularly.

I. _Large Paper Copies._ These are a certain set or limited number of
the work printed in a superior manner, both in regard to ink and press
work, on paper of a larger size, and better quality, than the ordinary
copies. Their price is enhanced in proportion to their beauty and
rarity. In the note below[49] are specified a few works which have
been published in this manner, that the sober collector may avoid
approaching them.

[Footnote 49: 1. _Lord Bacon's Essays_, 1798, 8vo., of which
it is said only five copies were struck off on royal folio.
In Lord Spencer's and the Cracherode, collection I have seen
a copy of this exquisitely printed book; the text of which,
surrounded by such an amplitude of margin, in the language
of Ernesti [see his Critique on Havercamp's Sallust] "natut
velut cymba in oceano."

2. _Twenty Plays of Shakespeare_ published by Steevens from
the old quarto editions, 1766, 8vo. 6 vols. Of this edition
there were only twelve copies struck off on large paper. See
Bibl. Steevens, No. 1312.

3. _Dodsley's Collection of Old Plays_, 1780, 8vo., 12 vols.
only six copies printed on large paper. See Bibl