e and
possessions. Accordingly, although he had excellent blood flowing in
his veins, Cotton sought connection with the good rather than with the
great; and where he found a cultivated understanding, and an honest
heart, there he carried with him his _Lares_, and made another's
abode his own.

[Footnote 334: There are few eminent characters of whom so
many, and such ably-executed, memoirs are extant as of SIR
ROBERT COTTON, KNT. In the present place we have nothing to
do with his academical studies, his philosophical, or
legislative, or diplomatic, labours: literature and _Book
Madness_ are our only subjects of discussion. Yet those who
may wish for more general, and possibly more interesting,
details, may examine the authorities referred to by Mr.
Planta in his very excellent _Catalogue of the MSS. in the
Cottonian Library_, 1802, folio. Sir Robert Cotton was
educated at Trinity-College, Cambridge. The number of
curious volumes, whether in the roman, gothic, or italic
type, which he in all probability collected during his
residence at the university, has not yet been ascertained;
but we know that, when he made his antiquarian tour with the
famous Camden, ("par nobile fratrum!") in his 29th year,
Cotton must have greatly augmented his literary treasures,
and returned to the metropolis with a sharpened appetite, to
devour every thing in the shape of a book. Respected by
three sovereigns, Elizabeth, James, and Charles, and admired
by all the literati in Europe, Sir Robert saw himself in as
eminent a situation as wealth, talents, taste, and integrity
can place an individual. His collection of books increased
rapidly; but MS. records, deeds, and charters, were the
chief objects of his pursuit. His mansion was noble, his
library extensive, and his own manners such as conciliated
the esteem of almost every one who approached him. Dr. Smith
has well described our illustrious bibliomaniac, at this
golden period of his life: "Ad Cottoni aedes, tanquam ad
communem reconditioris doctrinae apothecam, sive ad novam
Academiam, quotquot animo paulo erectiori musis et gratiis
litaverint, sese recepere, nullam a viro humanissimo
repulsam passuri: quippe idem literas bonas promovendi
studium erat omni auctoramento longe potentius. Nec ista
obvia morum facilitas,