at Paris. _Ibid._ A similar, though less important,
anecdote is here laid before the reader from a communication
sent to me by Mr. Wm. Hamper of Birmingham. '"_Tusser's Five
Hundred Points of Good Husbandry, black-letter, sewed_," was
valued at SIXPENCE, in a catalogue of a small Collection of
Books on the sale at the shop of Mr. William Adams,
Loughborough, in the year 1804: and, after in vain suing the
coy collector at this humble price, remained unsold to the
present year, 1809, when (thanks to your _Bibliomania_!) it
brought A GOLDEN GUINEA.'--I have myself been accused of 'an
admiration to excess' of black-letter lore; and of
recommending it in every shape, and by every means, directly
and indirectly. Yet I have surely not said or done any thing
half so decisive in recommendation of it as did our great
moralist, Dr. Johnson: who thus introduces the subject in
one of his periodical papers.--'The eldest and most
venerable of this society, was HIRSUTUS: who, after the
first civilities of my reception, found means to introduce
the mention of his favourite studies, by a severe censure of
those who want the due regard for their native country. He
informed me that he had early withdrawn his attention from
foreign trifles, and that since he begun to addict his mind
to serious and manly studies, he had very carefully amassed
all the _English books_ that were printed in the
=Black-Letter=. This search he had pursued so diligently that
he was able to show the deficiencies of the best catalogues.
He had long since completed his _Caxton_, had three sheets
of _Treveris_, unknown to antiquaries, and wanted to a
perfect [collection of] _Pynson_ but two volumes: of which
one was promised him as a legacy by its present possessor,
and the other he was resolved to buy at whatever price, when
Quisquilius' library should be sold. Hirsutus had no other
reason for the valuing or slighting a book than that it was
printed in the Roman or the Gothick letter, nor any ideas
but such as his favourite volumes had supplied: when he was
serious, he expatiated on the narratives of JOHAN DE
TREVISA, and, when he was merry, regaled us with a quotation
from the _Shippe of Fools_.' RAMBLER, no. 177.--Nor was
the Doctor himself quite easy and happy 'till he had sold