beauty, or repairs
Our chop-fall'n cheeks, or winter-molted hairs.]

LIS. When I come to town to settle, pray introduce me to these amiable
and sensible bibliomaniacs. Now gratify a curiosity that I feel to
know the name and character of yonder respectably-looking gentleman,
in the dress of the old school, who is speaking in so gracious a
manner to Bernardo?

"'Tis LEONTES: a man of taste, and an accomplished antiquary. Even yet
he continues to gratify his favourite passion for book and
print-collecting; although his library is at once choice and copious,
and his collection of prints exquisitely fine. He yet enjoys, in the
evening of life, all that unruffled temper and gentlemanly address
which delighted so much in his younger days, and which will always
render him, in his latter years, equally interesting and admired. Like
Atticus, he is liberal in the loan of his treasures; and, as with him,
so 'tis with Leontes--the spirit of book-collecting 'assumes the
dignity of a virtue.'[207] Peace and comfort be the attendant spirits
of Leontes, through life, and in death: the happiness of a better
world await him beyond the grave! His memory will always be held in
reverence by honest bibliomaniacs; and a due sense of his kindness
towards myself shall constantly be impressed upon me--

Dum memor ipse mei, dum spiritus hos regret artus."

[Footnote 207: _Edinburgh Review_, vol. xiii., p. 118.]

PHIL. Amen. With Leontes I suppose you close your account of the most
notorious bibliomaniacs who generally attend book sales in person; for
I observe no other person who mingles with those already
described--unless indeed, three very active young ones, who
occasionally converse with each other, and now and then have their
names affixed to some very expensive purchases--

"They are the three MERCURII, oftentimes deputed by distinguished
bibliomaniacs: who, fearful of the sharp-shooting powers of their
adversaries, if they _themselves_ should appear in the ranks, like
prudent generals, keep aloof. But their aides-de-camp are not always
successful in their missions; for such is the obstinacy with which
book-battles are now contested, that it requires three times the
number of guns and weight of metal to accomplish a particular object
to what it did when John Duke of Marlborough wore his full-bottomed
periwig at the battle of Blenheim.

"Others there are, again, who employ these Mercurii from their own
inability