loguer at Sotheby's and is still
living, attended to the original business. Bohn's famous 'Guinea
Catalogue' was deservedly regarded as a great triumph in its way,
although it has been far surpassed by the splendid catalogues of his
whilom apprentice, B. Quaritch. Bohn's fame now rests almost exclusively
in his publishing ventures, which proved a veritable gold-mine to the
originator, and are still highly lucrative investments in the hands of
Messrs. George Bell and Sons. He 'edited' an edition of Lowndes'
'Bibliographer's Manual,' and his name occurs on the title-pages of a
great many books dealing with an extensive variety of subjects. It is
scarcely necessary to say that Bohn has very little claim to be regarded
either as an editor or as an author, unless the cash purchase of the
product of other men's brain and study conferred either of these titles
upon him. He was, however, a remarkable person, with a very wide
knowledge of books. While quite a young man he catalogued the books of
Dr. Parr. The growing extent of his publishing business killed the
second-hand trade, so far as he was concerned, and his stock was
disposed of at Sotheby's in the years 1868, 1870, and 1872, occupying
fifty days in selling, and realizing a total of over L13,300. Both Henry
G. Bohn and his brother James dealt largely in remainders, and of this
class of merchandise each issued catalogues early in the year 1840 (and
at other times), and the difference in the extent of the trade done by
the two brothers may be indicated by the fact that the catalogue of the
former extends to 132 pages, whilst that of the latter is only 16 pages.
In this, as in everything else which he undertook, H. G. Bohn was first
and his rivals nowhere. One of Bohn's rivals in the 'forties' was Joseph
Lilly, who once undertook to purchase everything important in the book
line which was offered, but he soon gave up the idea. His shop was for
some time at 19, King Street, Covent Garden, and his catalogues always
contained a large number of select books. He had served a short time at
Lackington's, and was distinguished for the zeal with which he purchased
First Folio Shakespeares. Lilly died in 1870, and his vast stock came
under the hammer at Sotheby's in six batches, 1871-73.

[Illustration: _Mr. F. S. Ellis._]

King William Street, Strand, until the last three or four years, had
been for nearly a century a famous emporium of second-hand bookshops.
Its most famous inhabi