a work executed with care, minuteness, and
considerable interest. Some of its extracts are, perhaps,
unnecessarily long. The index to the sixth volume will lead
the reader to consult an account of some of the most
ancient, rare, and curious publications of voyages which
have ever appeared: and Boucher "has deserved well" of the
book world by this truly valuable and almost indispensable
performance.----BRUNET Le Fils. This able writer, and
enthusiastic devotee to bibliography, has recently published
an excellent and copious work which would appear greatly to
eclipse Fournier's; entitled "_Manuel du Libraire et de
l'Amateur de Livres, contenant, 1. Un Nouveau Dictionnaire
Bibliographigue, 2. Une Table en forme de Catalogue
Raisonnee_," Paris, 1810, 8vo., 3 vols.: in which he tells us
he has devoted at least thirty years to the examination of
books. The first two volumes form a scientific arrangement:
the latter is an alphabetical one, referring to one or the
other of the preceding volumes for a more copious account of
the work. It must be confessed that Brunet has, in this
publication, executed a difficult task with great ability.]

LIS. I am quite anxious to possess the publications of these moderns:
but you say nothing of their comparative value with the ancients.

LYSAND. Generally speaking, in regard to discoveries of rare books and
typographical curiosities, the moderns have the advantage. They have
made more rational conclusions, from data which had escaped their
predecessors: and the sparkling and animated manner in which they
dress out the particular objects that they describe renders the
perusal of their works more pleasant and gratifying. I am not sure
that they have the learning of the old school: but their works are, in
general, less ponderous and repulsive. The ancient bibliographers were
probably too anxious to describe every thing, however minute and
unimportant: they thought it better to say too much than too little;
and, finding the great mass of readers in former times, uninstructed
in these particular pursuits, they thought they could never exhaust a
subject by bringing to bear upon it every point, however remotely
connected! They found the plain, it is true, parched and sandy; but
they were not satisfied with pouring water upon it, 'till they had
converted it into a deluge.[161]

[Footnote 161: What