made for the
Savings by the Chance of the Auction, & for the full rate of
such Books as I may be over bid in, I am satisfied it will
come within the sum I propose. Now, Sir, the Favour which I
would beg of you is to get some Trusty Person (& if you
should not be able readily to think of a proper Person
yourself, Mr. Hinchcliffe or Mr. Peele may probably be able
to recommend one) to attend this Auction, in my behalf, from
the beginning to the end, & to bid for me agreeably to the
inclosed List & (as the Additional Trouble of it over and
above the Attendance would not be great) to mark in the
Catalogue, which you may have of Mr. Gyles for a shilling,
the price Every Book contained in the Catalogue is sold at,
for my future Direction in these Matters. For this Service I
would willingly allow 3 Guineas, which, the Auction
continuing 24 Days, is 3 shillings over and above half a
Crown a Day; or, if that is not sufficient, whatever more
shall be thought necessary to get my Commission well
Executed. It may be necessary to observe to you that the
Auction requires the Attendance of the whole day, beginning
at Eleven in the Morning, and ending at two and at five in
the Afternoon, and Ending at Eight. It may also be proper to
inform the Person you shall Employ that he is not to govern
his first bidding by the valuation in my list for many of
the Books will very probably be sold for less than half what
I have marked them at; he is therefore, in every Instance,
to bid Low at first, and afterwards to continue advancing
just beyond the other Bidders, till he has either bought the
Book, or the price I have fixed it at is exceeded. There are
many Books in the List which have several numbers before
them; the meaning of which is that the very same Book is in
several places of the Catalogue; and in that Case, I would
have the first of them bought, if it be in very good
condition, otherwise let the person Employed wait till the
other comes up. I would desire him also not to buy any book
at all that is both Dirty & ragged; but, though the Binding
should not be in very good Order, that would be no Objection
with me, provided the Book was clean. I would also desire
him not to bid for any Number in the Catalogue that is not
expressly mentioned in my