tus,' etc. The library
of another collector who, like Baker, had more of the kicks than of the
ha'pence of this life, Thomas Hearne (1678-1735), may be mentioned
briefly in this paragraph, for both were men of great learning. Hearne's
collection was sold in February, 1736, by Osborne the bookseller, 'the
lowest price being marked in each book.' On the title-page of the
catalogue, and beneath a poor portrait of Hearne, is the well-known
couplet:

'Quoth Time to Thomas Hearne,
"Whatever I forget, you learn."'

Humphrey Dyson is another book-collector of this period, and is
described by Hearne as 'a very curious man in collecting books.' The
Wesleys were book-lovers and readers, but have perhaps but little claim
to rank as collectors _pur sang_. However, it is interesting to point
out that Lilly's catalogue for 1863 included a copy of Purcell's
'Orpheus Britannicus,' 1706, with an inscription on the fly-leaf: 'C.
Wesley, junior. The valuable gift of his much-honor'd Father.'

The Restoration poets, like those of the Elizabethan period, had a
sufficiently hard fight to keep themselves in food; books were luxuries
which they could only venture to enjoy at long and uncertain intervals.
Dryden and Congreve, however, appear to have been addicted to the
pleasant pastime.

An exceedingly interesting copy of Spenser's 'Works,' folio, 1679, was
once in the possession of Mr. F. S. Ellis. On the fly-leaf occurred this
note: 'The corrections made in this book are of Mr. Dryden's own
handwriting. J. Tonson.' The volume occurred in an auction, where its
value was not detected. The 'corrections,' Mr. Ellis states, extend
through the whole of the volume, and bear witness to the care and
diligence with which Dryden had studied Spenser's poems. Several of the
notes are in explanation of the text, but for the most part are careful
and curious corrections of the text and press. The pedigree of this
volume is well established by its having in the cover the bookplate of
Thomas Barrett, of Lee, celebrated by Dibdin as a 'bibliomaniacal and
tasteful gentleman.' Though Barrett died in 1757, his library was not
dispersed till a few years since. Izaak Walton was a collector, and took
the wise precaution of writing his autograph in each volume, as the very
interesting score of examples now at Salisbury prove. His friend,
Charles Cotton, of cheerful memory, was much more of a book-collector,
although from the 'Angler' it would