ree Auctioneers only_; and the
prices which a great number of _useful_ articles brought is
a sufficient demonstration that books are esteemed for their
_intrinsic value_, as well as for the adventitious
circumstances which render them _rare_ or _curious_. But
prosterity [Transcriber's Note: posterity] are not to judge
of the prevalence of knowledge in these times by the
criterion of, what are technically called, _book-sales_
only. They should be told that, within the same twelve
months, thousands and tens of thousands of books of all
sorts have been circulated by the _London Booksellers_; and
that, without travelling to know the number disposed of at
Bristol, Liverpool, York, Manchester, or Exeter, it may be
only necessary to state that _one distinguished House_
alone, established not quite a furlong from the railings of
St. Paul's Cathedral, sold not far short of _two hundred
thousand volumes_ within the foregoing period! If learning
continue thus to thrive, and books to be considered as
necessary furniture to an apartment; if wealthy merchants
are resolved upon procuring Large Paper copies, as well as
Indian spices and Russian furs; we may hail, in
anticipation, that glorious period when the book-fairs of
_Leipsic_ shall be forgotten in the superior splendour of
those of _London_! But to return to our chronological order:
The ensuing year, 1808, was distinguished for no small
mischief excited in the bibliomaniacal world by the sales of
many curious and detached libraries. The second part of Mr.
Brand's collection which was sold in the spring of this
year, has been already noticed. The close of the year
witnessed the sales, by auction, of the books of SAMUEL
EWER, Esq. (retiring into the country), and of Mr. MACHEL
STACE, bookseller. The former collection was very strong in
bibliography; and the latter presented a singularly valuable
'Collection of rare and select' books, relating to old
English Literature elegantly bound: containing 2607
articles. Mr. Stace had published, the preceding year, '_A
Catalogue of curious and scarce Books and Tracts_:' which,
with the preceding, merit a snug place upon the
bibliographer's shelf. We now enter upon a more busy year of
sales of books by auction. The Bibliomania had only
increas