e libraries of your professed bibliomaniacs.

BELIN. Yes:--You pride yourselves upon your large paper, and clean,
and matchless copies--but you do not dwell quite so satisfactorily
upon your useful and profitable volumes--which, surely stand not in
need of expensive embellishments. Lort's collection would be the
library for my money--if I were disposed to become a female
bibliomaniac!

LIS. You are even a more jejune student than myself in bibliography,
or you would not talk in this strain, Belinda. Abuse fine copies of
books! I hope you forgive her, Lysander?

LYSAND. Most cordially. But have I not discoursed sufficiently? The
ladies are, I fear, beginning to be wearied; and the night is "almost
at odds with morning which is which."

LOREN. Nay, nay, we must not yet terminate our conversation. Pursue,
and completely accomplish, the noble task which you have begun. But a
few more years to run down--a few more renowned bibliomaniacs to "kill
off"--and then we retire to our pillows delighted and instructed by
your----

LYSAND. Halt! If you go on thus, there is an end to our "Table Talk."
I now resume.

LOREN. Yet a word to save your lungs, and slightly vary the discourse.
Let me take you with me to Ireland, about this time; where, if you
reremember [Transcriber's Note: remember], the library of DENIS
DALY[402] was disposed of by public auction. My father attended the
sale; and purchased at it a great number of the _Old English
Chronicles_, and volumes relating to _English History_, which Lisardo
so much admired in the library. You remember the copy of Birch's
_Lives of Illustrious Persons of Great Britain_!

[Footnote 402: _A Catalogue of the Library of the late Right
Honourable_ DENIS DALY, _which will be sold by auction on
the first of May, 1792, by James Vallance._ _Dublin_, 8vo. A
fac-simile copper-plate of a part of the first psalm, taken
from a Bible erroneously supposed to have been printed by
Ulric Zell in 1458, faces the title-page; and a short and
pertinent preface succeeds it. The collection was choice and
elegant: the books are well described, and the catalogue is
printed with neatness. The copies on _large paper_ are very
scarce. I subjoin, as a curiosity, and for the sake of
comparing with modern prices, the sums for which a few
popular articles in ENGLISH HISTORY were disposed of.

NO. 527. Tyrrell's General History of England, 5 vo