every
virtuous dame threw the copy of his book, which came into
her possession, behind the fire. This may reasonably account
for its present rarity. I do not discover it in the
catalogues of the libraries of _Pearson_, _Steevens_, or
_Brand_; but see _Bibl. Wright_, no. 1390.]

But admitting even that Stubbes had drawn his arrow to the head, and
grazed the skin of such men as Bodley and Cotton, the wound inflicted
by this weapon must have been speedily closed and healed by the
balsamic medicine administered by ANDREW MAUNSELL, in his _Catalogue
of English Printed Books_.[338] This little thin folio volume afforded
a delicious treat to all honest bibliomaniacs. It revived the drooping
spirits of the despondent; and, like the syrup of the renowned Dr.
Brodum, circulated within the system, and put all the generous juices
in action. The niggardly collector felt the influence of rivalship; he
played a deeper stake at book-gambling; and hastened, by his painfully
acquired knowledge of what was curious and rare in books, to
anticipate the rustic collector--which latter, putting the best wheels
and horses to his carriage, rushed from the country to the metropolis,
to seize, at Maunsell's shop, a choice copy of _Cranmer's Bible, or
Morley's Canzonets_.[339]

[Footnote 338: This Catalogue, the first publication of the
kind ever put forth in this country, is complete in two
parts; 1595, folio: first part containing 123 pages,
exclusive of three preliminary epistles: the second, 27
pages; exclusive of three similar introductory pieces. The
_first part_ is devoted entirely to Divinity: and in the
dedicatory epistle to Queen Elizabeth, Maunsell tells her
majesty that he thought it "worth his poor labour to collect
a catalogue of the divine books, so mightily increased in
her reign; whereby her majesty's most faithful and loving
subjects may be put in remembrance of the works of so
excellent authors," &c. The second part is devoted to a
brief account of books in the remaining branches of
literature, arts, sciences, &c. Maunsell promised to follow
it up by a _third_ part; but a want of due encouragement
seems to have damped the bibliographical ardour of the
compiler; for this third part never appeared: a circumstance
which, in common with the late Mr. Steevens, all
bibliomaniacs may "much lament." See the _Athena