conversation. I wish only to be
informed whether bibliomaniacs are indisputably known by the
prevalence of all, or of any, of the symptoms which you have just
described.

ALMAN. Is there any other passion, or fancy, in the book-way, from
which we may judge of Bibliomaniacism?

LYSAND. Let me consider. Yes; there is one other characteristic of the
book-madman that may as well be noticed. It is an ardent desire to
collect ALL THE EDITIONS of a work which have been published. Not only
the FIRST--whether _uncut, upon large paper_, _in the black-letter_,
_unique_, _tall_, or _illustrated_--but ALL the editions.[459]

[Footnote 459: I frankly confess that I was, myself, once
desperately afflicted with this _eleventh_ symptom of _The
Bibliomania_; having collected not fewer than _seventy-five_
editions of the GREEK TESTAMENT--but time has cooled my
ardour, and mended my judgment. I have discarded seventy,
and retain only five: which are _R. Steevens's_ of 1550,
_The Elzevir_ of 1624, _Mill's_ of 1707, _Westein's_ of
1751, and _Griesbach's_ of 1810--as beautifully and
accurately reprinted at Oxford.]

BELIN. Strange--but true, I warrant!

LYSAND. Most true; but, in my humble opinion, most ridiculous; for
what can a sensible man desire beyond the earliest and best editions
of a work?

Be it also noticed that these works are sometimes very capricious and
extroardinary [Transcriber's Note: extraordinary]. Thus, BAPTISTA is
wretched unless he possess every edition of our early grammarians,
_Holt_, _Stanbridge_, and _Whittinton_: a reimpression, or a new
edition, is a matter of almost equal indifference: for his slumbers
are broken and oppressive unless _all_ the _dear Wynkyns_ and
_Pynsons_ are found within his closet!--Up starts FLORIZEL, and blows
his bugle, at the annunciation of any work, new or old, upon the
diversions of _Hawking_, _Hunting_, or _Fishing_![460] Carry him
through CAMILLO'S cabinet of Dutch pictures, and you will see how
instinctively, as it were, his eyes are fixed upon a sporting piece by
Wouvermans. The hooded hawk, in his estimation, hath more charms than
Guido's Madonna:--how he envies every rider upon his white horse!--how
he burns to bestride the foremost steed, and to mingle in the fair
throng, who turn their blue eyes to the scarcely bluer expanse of
heaven! Here he recognises _Gervase Markham_, spurring his courser;
and there he fancies himself li