with comic and tragic masks, and other emblems of Apollo and of Bacchus, the antient patrons of poetry and of the stage!

I am,

Sir,

Your obedient humble Servant,

A. Z.

BIBLIOGRAPHIANA.

AGREEABLY to my promise, in the last number of the Director, under the present article, I now proceed to give some very general account of the contents of the

HARLEIAN COLLECTION OF BOOKS.

I SHALL take the liberty of making a different arrangement of the books to what appears in the Harleian catalogue; but shall scrupulously adhere to the num

ber of departments therein specified. And first of the books in

1. Divinity.

IN the Greek, Latin, French, and Italian languages, there were about 2000 theological volumes. Among these the most rare and curious were Bamler's Bible of 1466, beautifully illuminated, in 2 volumes: Schæffer's bible of 1472. The famous Zurich bible of 1543, 'all of which, except a small part done by Theodorus Bibliander, was translated from the Hebrew by a Jew, who styled himself Leo Judæ, or the Lion of Judah. The Greek books were translated by Petrus Cholinus. The New Testament is Erasmus's.' The Scrutinium Scripturarum of Rabbi Samuel, Mant. 1475; a book which is said to have been concealed by the Jews nearly 200 years: the author of it is supposed to have lived at a period not much later than the destruction of Jerusalem.' The Islandic bible of 1664, not to be met with, without the utmost difficulty, and therefore

a real curiosity.' The works of Hemmerlin, Basil, 1497; the author was ranked in the first class of those, whose works were condemned by the church of Rome*: The Mozarabic Missal printed at Toledo, in 1500-of which a singular history will be found in the Harleian catalogue referred to in the note below †..

THE foregoing were among the most curious theological books printed in a foreign language.

THE collection of English books in Divinity could not have amounted to less

* This book is enriched with many MS. notes. In the title-page there is a print of the author, and a copy of verses, giving a short and concise account of him. In the catalogue of condemned authors by the church of Rome, he is said to be dignus Flammis, Malleo, et Incude,' which may possibly induce some curious people to peruse him.' Vide Bibl. Harl. vol. iii. No. 1447.

+ See vol. iii. No. 1528-said to be the scarcest book in the whole Harleian collection.' It was printed at the desire of the famous Cardinal Ximenes; who built a chapel expressly for the purpose of chaunting the service contained in it. K k

+

than 2500 volumes. Among the rarest of these, printed in the fifteenth century, was

The Festyvall, beginning at the fyrst Sonday of Advent, in worship of God and all his Sayntes, &c.' printed at Paris in 1495. There were 10 books printed by Caxton, and some exceedingly curious ones, by Wynkyn de Worde and Pinson.

2. History and Antiquities.

THERE appear to have been, on the whole, nearly 4000 volumes in this department: of which, some of those relating to Great Britain were inestimable, from the quantity of MS. notes by Sir William Dugdale, Archbishop Parker, Thomas Rawlinson, Thomas Baker, &c. The preceding number includes 600 relating to the history and antiquities of Italy; 500 to those of France*; 150 to

• This part of the catalogue deserves particular attention, as it contains a larger collection of pieces relating to the history of France, than was perhaps ever exposed to sale in this nation; here being not only the antient chronicles and general histories, but

those of Spain; and about 250 relating to Germany and the united Provinces. Such a body of historical and antiquarian knowledge will perhaps never again be collected by one individual!

3. Books of Prints, Sculpture and Drawings.

In this department, rich beyond description, there could not have been fewer than 20,000 articles, on the smallest computation of which nearly 2000 were original drawings by the great Italian and Flemish Masters. To give a specimen of the value of the collection, I refer to the note below* for the description of

the memoirs of particular men, and the genealogies of most of the families illustrious for their antiquity. See Bibl. Harl. vol. iii. p. 159.

* The works of CALLOT were preserved in 4 large volumes, containing not fewer than nine hundred and twelve prints. All choice impressions, and making the completest set of his works that are to be seen.' See Bibl. Harl. vol. iii. No. 562.

'HOLLAR'S works, consisting of all his pieces, and bound in 12 folio volumes, in morocco. One of the completest and best sets in the world, both as to the number and goodness of the impressions.' Vid. ibid. No. 468.