r best thanks follow you to
your pillow.

ALMAN. Remember, as you sink to repose, what a quantity of good you
have done, by having imparted such useful information.

LYSAND. I shall carry your best wishes, and grateful mention of my
poor labours, with me to my orisons. Adieu!--'tis very late.

* * * * *

Here the company broke up. Lisardo slept at Lorenzo's. Philemon and
Lysander accompanied me to my home; and as we past Lorenzo's outer
gate, and looked backward upon the highest piece of rising ground, we
fancied we saw the twilight of morning. Never was a mortal more
heartily thanked for his colloquial exertions than was Lysander. On
reaching home, as we separated for our respective chambers, we shook
hands most cordially; and my eloquent guest returned the squeeze, in a
manner which seemed to tell that he had no greater happiness at heart
than that of finding a reciprocity of sentiment among those whom he
tenderly esteemed. At this moment, we could have given to each other
the choicest volume in our libraries; and I regretted that I had not
contrived to put my black-morocco copy of the small _Aldine Petrarch,
printed upon_ VELLUM, under Lysander's pillow, as a 'Pignus
Amicitiae.'--But we were all to assemble together in Lorenzo's ALCOVE
on the morrow; and this thought gave me such lively pleasure that I
did not close my eyes 'till the clock had struck five. Such are the
bed-luxuries of a Bibliomaniac!

[Illustration]

[Illustration: The reader is here presented with one of the "Facs," or
ornamental letters in _Pierce Ploughman's Creed_.]

PART VI.

=The Alcove.=

SYMPTOMS OF THE BIBLIOMANIA.----PROBABLE MEANS OF ITS CURE.

"One saith this booke is too long: another, too short: the
third, of due length; and for fine phrase and style, the
like [of] that booke was not made a great while. It is all
lies, said another; the booke is starke naught."

_Choice of Change_; 1585. 4to., sign. N. i.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

=The Alcove.=

SYMPTOMS OF THE BIBLIOMANIA.----PROBABLE MEANS OF ITS CURE.

Softly blew the breeze, and merrily sung the lark, when Lisardo
quitted his bed-chamber at seven in the morning, and rang lustily at
my outer gate for admission. So early a visitor put the whole house in
commotion; nor was it without betraying some marks of peevishness and
irritability that, on being informed of his arrival, I sent