and, was dispersed at the same place in May, 1876,
when a few hundred books realized L60. Some very choice books (many of
them enriched with the notes of H. T. Buckle) were included in the
portion of the library of the late Mrs. Benzon, of 10, Kensington Palace
Gardens, sold at Sotheby's on June 14, 1880, when 379 lots realized
over L775. Some books from Mrs. Jameson's library were sold at Puttick's
in October, 1882, the more important items being annotated or
extra-illustrated copies of her own books. The collection formed by Miss
Drummond, of Berkeley Square, Bristol, and sold at Sotheby's in May,
1862 (1,339 lots realizing L1,316 6s.), was a remarkably choice library,
the whole in elegant bindings, presenting a great variety of patterns,
tooled in gold, with appropriate devices and other decorations. There
were splendid 'Galleries,' and books of 'picturesque sceneries,'
magnificent volumes on natural history, some beautiful Persian
manuscripts, and the best works in standard literature. Mrs. Brassey, of
Lower Seymour Street, had some good books, which were sold by Bates on
December 23, 1814, and included 'The Golden Legend,' by Caxton, which
realized 93 guineas.

Mrs. John Rylands is the widow of the late Mr. John Rylands, of Longford
Hall, near Manchester. Mrs. Rylands' career as a _femme bibliophile_ may
be briefly summarised thus: In 1889 this lady formed the plan of
erecting in Manchester a memorial to her late husband, which should
embody one main purpose of his life, as carried out by him very
unostentatiously, but with great delight, during the greater part of his
career. To make the highest literature accessible to the people was with
him a cherished aim, and it was accordingly resolved by his widow that
the memorial should be in the form of a library. To this end Mrs.
Rylands took into her confidence four gentlemen whose names are well
known, and for whom the late Mr. Rylands had the greatest respect and
admiration, namely, the Rev. Dr. S. G. Green, of London; the late Rev.
Dr. MacFadyen, of Manchester; Mr. W. Carnelly and Mr. W. Linnell, both
also of Manchester, with whose aid the preliminaries for carrying out
her purpose were speedily arranged. The site in Deansgate, lying between
Wood Street and Spinningfield, was purchased, and after visits to
several great libraries and other public buildings, Mrs. Rylands
instructed the architect of Mansfield College, Oxford, Mr. Basil
Champneys, of London, to execute