ficiently
founded upon truth. He was a violent and wrong-headed writer
in many respects; but he had acumen, strength, and fancy.
The _Bibliotheca Literaria_ of WASSE (although his name does
not appear as the professed editor) is a truly solid and
valuable publication; worthy of the reputation of the
learned editor of Sallust. The work was published in
numbers, which were sold at one shilling each; but, I
suppose from the paucity of classical readers, it could not
be supported beyond the 10th number (1724); when it ceased
to be published. Some of the dissertations are very
interesting as well as erudite. OLDYS'S _British Librarian_
was published in six numbers, during the first six months of
the year 1737; forming, with the index, an octavo volume of
402 pages. It is difficult to say, from the conclusion (p.
373-4), whether the work was dropped for want of
encouragement, or from the capriciousness or indolence of
the author: but I suspect that the ground was suffered "to
lie fallow" (to use his own words) till it was suffocated
with weeds--owing to the _former_ cause: as Oldys never
suffered his pen to lie idle while he could "put money in
his purse" from his lucubrations. We shall speak of him more
particularly in PART V. Meanwhile, the reader is informed
that the _British Librarian_ is a work of no common
occurrence, or mean value. It is rigidly correct, if not
very learned, in bibliographical information. I once sent
three guineas to procure a copy of it, according to its
description, upon LARGE PAPER; but, on its arrival, I found
it to be not quite so large as my own tolerably
amply-margined copy. Bishop TANNER'S _Bibliotheca
Britanico-Hibernica_, which cost the author forty years'
labour, was published in 1748, folio; with a preface by Dr.
Wilkins. We must receive it with many thanks, imperfect and
erroneous as many parts of it are; but I hope the period is
not very remote when a literary friend, living, as he
constantly is, in an inexhaustible stock of British
literature of all kinds, will give us a new edition, with
copious additions and corrections, translated into our
native tongue. _The History of the Art of Printing_ by
WATSON, Edit., 1713, 8vo., is at best but a meagre
performance. It happens to be rare, and,