ontispieces
complete, gilt, broad border of gold_. Lond. 1666-68. "For
an account of this rare and valuable work, see Oldy's
British Librarian, page II. Not more than 70 copies of the
first vol. were rescued from the fire of London, 1666."
folio. 80 15 3

I learn from the nephew of the late Mr. Archer, of Dublin,
bookseller, that the late Lord Clare offered 4000 guineas
for the collection--which contained only 1441 lots or
articles. The offer was rejected. Although the amount of the
sale did not exceed 3700_l._--according to a rough
calculation.]

LIS. I do:--and a marvellously fine one it is!

LOREN. Well, this was formerly _Exemplar Dalyanum_. But now proceed. I
wished only to convince you that the miasmata (as you call them) of
the bibliomaniacal disease had reached our Sister Kingdom. Of
Scotland[403]--I know nothing in commendation respecting the
BIBLIOMANIA.

[Footnote 403: This is rather a hasty speech, on the part of
Lorenzo. The copious and curious catalogues of those
booksellers, Messrs. CONSTABLE, LAING, and BLACKWOOD--are a
sufficient demonstration that the cause of the _Bibliomania_
flourishes in the city of Edinburgh. Whether they have such
desperate bibliomaniacs in Scotland, as we possess in
London, and especially of the book-auction species--is a
point which I cannot take upon me to decide. Certain it is
that the notes of their great poet are not deficient in
numerous tempting extracts from rare black-letter tomes; and
if his example be not more generally followed than it is,
the fault must lie with some scribe or other who counteracts
its influence by propagating opinions, and recommending
studies, of a different, and less tasteful, cast of
character. I am fearful that there are too many
politico-economical, metaphysical, and philosophical
miasmata, floating in the atmosphere of Scotland's
metropolis, to render the climate there just now favourable
to the legitimate cause of the BIBLIOMANIA.]

I had nearly forgotten to mention, with the encomiums which they
merit, the select, curious, and splendid collections of the
CHAUNCYS:[404] very able scholars, and zealous bibliomaniacs. Many a
heavy-metalled competitor attended the sale of the _Bibliotheca
Chauncyana_; and, I dare say, if such a collection of books were now
_sub hasta_----

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