ns of reading the preface
of this work will see that Granger sheltered himself under the
authorities of Evelyn, Ashmole, and others; and that he alone is not
to be considered as responsible for all the mischief which this
passion for collecting prints has occasioned. Granger, however, was
the first who introduced it in the form of a treatise, and surely "in
an evil hour" was this treatise published--although its amiable author
must be acquitted of "malice prepense." His History of England[52]
seems to have sounded the tocsin for a general rummage after, and
slaughter of, old prints: venerable philosophers and veteran heroes,
who had long reposed in unmolested dignity within the magnificent
folio volumes which recorded their achievements, were instantly
dragged from their peaceful abodes to be inlaid by the side of some
spruce, modern engraving, within an ILLUSTRATED GRANGER! Nor did the
madness stop here. Illustration was the order of the day; and
Shakspeare[53] and Clarendon[54] became the next objects of its
attack. From these it has glanced off in a variety of directions, to
adorn the pages of humbler wights; and the passion, or rather this
symptom of the Bibliomania,[55] yet rages with undiminished force. If
judiciously[56] treated, it is, of all the symptoms, the least liable
to mischief. To possess a series of well executed portraits of
illustrious men, at different periods of their lives, from blooming
boyhood to phlegmatic old age, is sufficiently amusing[57]; but to
possess _every_ portrait, _bad, indifferent, and unlike_, betrays
such a dangerous and alarming symptom as to render the case almost
incurable!

[Footnote 52: It was first published in two quarto volumes,
1766; and went through several editions in octavo. The last
is, I believe, of the date of 1804; to which three
additional volumes were published by William Noble, in 1806;
the whole seven volumes form what is called an excellent
library work.]

[Footnote 53: About two or three years ago there was an
extraordinary set of prints disposed of, for the
illustration of Shakspeare, collected by a gentleman in
Cornwall, with considerable taste and judgment. Lord
Spencer's beautiful octavo illustrated Shakespeare,
bequeathed to him by the late Mr. Steevens, has been
enriched, since it came into the library of its present
noble possessor, with many a rare and many a beauteous
spe