e manner in which books may
lie hidden for years. For nearly a century the originals of Sir John
Fenn's compilation were utterly lost. 'Even Mr. Serjeant Frere who edited
the fifth volume . . . declared that he had not been able to find the
originals of that volume any more than those of the others. Strange to
say, however, the originals of that volume were in his house all the
time. . . .' Gairdner then applied to the owner of Roydon Hall for the
remainder of the manuscripts, but received answer 'that he did not see
how such MSS. should have found their way to Roydon.' Yet there they were
discovered (with many others) eight years later! Even then the
whereabouts of the letters forming Fenn's first and second volumes, which
he had presented in 1787 to King George III., was still unknown. 'The
late Prince Consort . . . caused a careful search to be made for them,
but it proved quite ineffectual.' No wonder, for in 1889 they came to
light in a Suffolk manor-house!

It is difficult to portray in words the sensations of the book-collector
when engaged in searching some ancient building or library--especially if
he be upon a 'hot scent.' The thrills that he experiences as he handles
some rich volume that has lain hid for years, the delicious excitement
that pervades him while exploring some huge charter chest or ancient
oaken press, these are feelings not to be described in words. 'It was
discovered in the library at such and such a place,' we read, and we
barely stop to picture the scene of its finding or to imagine the
sensations of its finder. The very finding at Syon by 'Master Richard
Sutton, Esq.,' of the manuscript containing the 'revelacions' of St.
Katherin of Siena, from which de Worde printed his edition, conjures up a
whole romance in itself; yet in his eulogy of the work Wynkyn dismisses
the matter briefly, merely stating that it was found 'in a corner by
itself.' 'We were shipwrecked,' says the mariner, relating his
adventures; and in those three words what a world of incident and
sensations is comprised!

Our book-hunter confesses frankly to having had much good luck in book
collecting. Some years ago he made up his mind to start collecting
Elzeviers, more with the intention of gathering a representative
collection of books printed by that great family of printers than with
any idea of specialising in them. Probably he was urged thereto by
reading that wholly delightful book 'The Library' by Andrew Lang, wher