ollected
by G. Thomason, 1640-1661.'

[Sidenote: Philosophy.]

46. 'A farmer should be a philosopher,' said Mr. Jorrocks; and although
most book-collectors who specialise in philosophical works would disclaim
any connection between the two subjects, yet it is not easy to say where
philosophy either begins or ends. The dictionaries are very cautious,
contenting themselves with the assertion that any 'application of pure
thought' or rational explanation of 'things' comes under this heading.
Perhaps Mr. Jorrocks was more correct than most of his hearers imagined,
for farming in this country certainly requires a deal of pure thought--if
it is to be made to pay. For our purpose, however, we will narrow this
heading down to those books which deal with the moral aspects of mental
influences, and those which centre about the science of metaphysics.

[Sidenote: Poetry.]

47. Poetry is another heading over which we need not linger. He who
specialises in this class of literature may be either a student of
English poesy or a lover of prosody. If the former, the following volumes
will be of assistance to him.

Thomas Warton's 'History of English Poetry' first appeared in three
quarto volumes issued between 1774 and 1781; but a new edition, edited by
W. C. Hazlitt in four octavo volumes, was published in 1871. Professor W.
J. Courthope's work of the same title was issued in six volumes between
1895 and 1910; whilst Professor G. Saintsbury's 'History of English
Prosody from the Twelfth Century to the Present Day,' begun in 1906, was
completed in 1910, three octavo volumes.

[Sidenote: Privately-printed.]

48. Privately-printed Books. A curious byway of collecting, this; for
although it comprises books upon every subject under the sun, yet it will
not help the collector to acquire knowledge upon any single subject. For
some there is doubtless a certain attraction about books that have been
put forth surreptitiously, as it were; yet to the ordinary book-collector
such volumes seem to partake rather of the nature of pariahs. They are
among books, but not of them, lacking the credentials of their
companions. They are of three species only: (1) Personal Books; of
interest only to a family and its relations; (2) Books refused by the
publishing houses as being unlikely to appeal to the general public; (3)
Improper books, which, if issued publicly, would most likely incur an
action by the Public Prosecutor. Some years ago Bertram Dobe