5] and Thomas Britton has
bequeathed to me an entire library of the Rosicrusian[416] philosophy.
Moreover, the venerable form of Sir Thomas Bodley has approached me;
reminding me of my solemn promise to spend a few autumnal weeks,[417]
in the ensuing year, within the precincts of his grand library. In
short, half the bibliomaniacs, whom Lysander so enthusiastically
commended last night, have paid their devoirs to me in my dreams, and
nothing could be more handsome than their conduct towards me."

[Footnote 415: The reader may have met with some slight
notices of this curious work in pp. 331; 337; 385; 392; 417;
ante.]

[Footnote 416: See p. 332, ante.]

[Footnote 417: See p. 49, ante.]

This discourse awakened my friends, Lysander and Philemon; who each,
from different rooms, put their heads out of window, and hailed the
newly-risen sun with night caps which might have been mistaken for
Persian turbans. Such an unexpected sight caused Lisardo to burst out
into a fit of laughter, and to banter my guests in his usual strain of
vivacity. But on our promising him that we would speedily join his
peripatetic bibliographical reveries, he gave a turn towards the left,
and was quickly lost in a grove of Acacia and Laurustinus. For my
part, instead of keeping this promise, I instinctively sought my bed;
and found the observation of Franklin,--of air-bathing being
favourable to slumber,--abundantly verified--for I was hardly settled
under the clothes 'ere I fell asleep: and, leaving my guests to make
good their appointment with my visitor, I enjoyed a sweet slumber of
more than two hours.

As early rising produces a keen appetite for bodily, as well as
mental, gratification, I found my companions clamorous for their
breakfast. A little before ten o'clock, we were all prepared to make a
formal attack upon muffins, cake, coffee, tea, eggs, and cold tongue.
The window was thrown open; and through the branches of the clustering
vine, which covered the upper part of it, the sun shot a warmer ray;
while the spicy fragrance from surrounding parterres, and jessamine
bowers, made even such bibliomaniacs as my guests forgetful of the
gaily-coated volumes which surrounded them. At length the conversation
was systematically commenced on the part of Lysander.

LYSAND. To-morrow, Philemon and myself take our departure. We would
willingly have staid the week; but business of a pressing nature calls
_him_ to Manch