nt value. The first dated edition of Valerius
Maximus was printed by Schoeffer at Mentz in 1471, but is apparently not
a very popular book with collectors, for whereas in 1775 a beautiful
copy was valued at L26, its present price is only L28. A much more
popular book, Seneca's 'Tragoediae,' printed about 1475, has advanced
from 4-1/2 guineas to L18, or, an exceptionally good copy bound by
Bedford, L25.

Although for several centuries one of the most popular of books, some of
the earlier editions of Pliny's 'Historia Naturalis' do not keep up
their price. The second edition, Rome, 1470, which is rarer than the
first--issued at Venice the year before--may now be had for 12 guineas.
The British Museum copy of the first edition cost the nation L43 in
1775. The edition printed by Jenson at Venice in 1472 is, however, much
sought after, for it is a very beautiful book, with a splendidly
illuminated border on the first page of the text. The British Museum
copy cost at Dr. Askew's sale L23, whilst Mr. Quaritch quotes an example
at L140; but, then, the latter copy is printed on vellum, which makes
all the difference. Silius Italicus is not by any means an author whose
work is at present much studied, but the first edition of his 'Opera'
(1471) is a book worth mentioning, because for beauty and grace it is
unsurpassed by any of the works ever published by the first Italian
printers, Sweynheim and Pannartz. The British Museum copy cost in 1775
L13 2s. 6d., whilst it is now worth about L25. The superb copy in the
British Museum of the _editio princeps_ Juvenal and Persius (printed at
Rome about the year 1469) cost the country 13 guineas; a first-class
example is now valued at L12. On the other hand, the Aldine edition of
Martial's 'Epigrammata' (1501) has gone up in value from 2 guineas to
L10, or even L17 10s., according to condition. The first edition of
Justin (printed at Venice, 1470) has declined, for the British Museum
copy cost 13 guineas in 1775, whilst a fine copy may now be had for 10
guineas.

A very different story has to be told with reference to the books and
pamphlets produced by the early English printers. Until the latter part
of the last century, these items were the despised of the scholarly and
aristocratic collector. A few antiquaries found them not without
interest, but they had only a nominal commercial value. At the sale of
Dr. Francis Bernard, at his 'late dwelling house in Little Britain,' in
October, 16