dear now at as many guineas as Scott has charged
shillings.

Book-auctions were not, however, unmixed blessings, and, as a fact, they
provoked a good many curses from the poorer collectors. Here is one
phase which concerns the sale of the library of John Bridges,[121:A] the
Northamptonshire historian, in 1726. This auction is interesting, not so
much on account of the books which were knocked down, or of the prices
which they realized, but as being the genesis of the knock-out system.
We have, fortunately, a very vivid picture of this sale from the pen of
Humfrey Wanley, who wished to obtain some of the items for the library
of Lord Oxford. In his 'Diary,' under date February, 1726, we read:
'Went to Mr. Bridges' Chamber [No. 6, Lincoln's Inn] to see the three
fine MSS. again, the doctor, his brother, having locked them up. He
openly bids for his own books, merely to enhance their price, and the
auction proves to be, what I thought it would become, very knavish.' And
again: 'Yesterday, at five, I met Mr. Noel, and tarried long with him;
we settled then the whole affair touching his bidding for my Lord at the
roguish sale of Mr. Bridges' books. The Rev. Doctor, one of the
brothers, hath already displayed himself so remarkably as to be both
hated and despised; and a combination amongst the booksellers will soon
be against him and his brother the lawyer. They are men of the keenest
avarice, and their very looks (according to what I am told) dart out
harping irons. I have ordered Mr. Noel to drop every article in my
Lord's Commission when they shall be hoisted up to too high a price.'

We get another interesting view of the subject a year later. Hearne, the
antiquary, writing to Dr. R. Rawlinson, the well-known book-collector,
November 27, 1727, observes: 'I wanted much to hear from yourself how
matters went in your auctions, and was glad at last to have one
[letter], though I am very sorry to find you have had such bad usage,
when you act so honourably. But I am too sensible, that booksellers and
others are in a combination against you. Booksellers have the least
pretence of any to act so. Your brother (whom I shall always call my
friend) did them unspeakable kindness. By his generous way of bidding,
and by his constant buying, he raised the value of books incredibly, and
there is hardly such another left. The booksellers (who go so much by
him) owe him a statue, the least they can do. But instead of that, they
neither sp