. I began to think that the story
of Orlando had been thrown away upon you; and that his regular yearly
purchases of a certain set of books, and making himself master of
their principal contents before he ventured upon another similar
purchase, had already been banished from your recollection."

We were now fast approaching the end of our journey; when the groom of
Lorenzo, mounted upon a well-bred courser, darted quickly by the
chaise, apparently making towards my house--but on turning his head,
and perceiving me within it, he drew up and bade the postilion stop. A
note from his master soon disclosed the reason of this interruption.
LORENZO, upon hearing of the arrival of Lysander and Philemon, and of
their wish to visit his library, had sent us all three a kind
invitation to dine with him on the morrow. His close intimacy with
Lisardo (who was his neighbour) had left no doubt in the mind of the
latter but that a similar note had been sent to his own house. After
telling the messenger that we would not fail to pay our respects to
his master, we drove briskly homewards; and found Lysander sitting on
a stile under some wide-spreading beech trees, at the entrance of the
paddock, expecting our arrival. In less than half an hour we sat down
to dinner (at a time greatly beyond what I was accustomed to);
regaling Lysander, during the repast, with an account of the contest
we had witnessed; and every now and then preventing Lisardo from
rushing towards his packet (even in the midst of his _fricandeau_),
and displaying his book-treasures. After dinner, our discussion
assumed a more methodical shape. Lysander bestowed his hearty
commendations upon the purchase; and, in order to whet the
bibliomaniacal appetite of his young convert, he slyly observed that
his set of De Bure's pieces were _half bound_ and _uncut_; and that by
having them bound in morocco, with gilt leaves, he would excel my own
set; which latter was coated in a prettily-sprinkled calf leather,
with speckled edges. Lisardo could not repress the joyful sensations
which this remark excited; and I observed that, whenever his eyes
glanced upon my shelves, he afterwards returned them upon his own
little collection, with a look of complacency mingled with exultation.
It was evident, therefore, that he was now thoroughly reconciled to
his fortune.

LYSAND. During your absence, I have been reading a very favourite work
of mine--DR. HENRY'S _History of Great Britain_; esp