A GREAT fashion at present prevails of making the exterior of a shop appear like a marble portico: and if you were to be set down from Lancashire, in the middle of Catherine Street, in the Strand, you would imagine yourself to be among the principal palaces at Rome.

VERD-ANTIQUE, and Sienna marble are brought, it would seem, at an expense incalculable, from Greece and Italy, to adorn the exterior of a linendraper's or upholsterer's shop. The artist does certainly his part well; but the owner of the house might have probably got more credit by adhering to one simple colour of white or grey.

The only thing in addition which 1 have now time to mention is, the absurdity of decorating carpet-rugs and mats with monsters of the bird and beast kind. My daughter Eliza was, the other day, considerably alarmed by the appearance of a gigantic tiger, stretched out upon the watch for prey: she ran to

A wild

me, tremulously exclaiming, beast, a lion!' On walking up firmly towards the monster, we found him as harmless as the lion described by Addi son, in the opera of his day! Eagles and vultures are also worked on these rugs: objects, as ridiculous and inappropriate as can well be imagined!

BUT the 6 o'clock bell is ringing, and the postman waits at the door. Adieu. Ever yours affectionately,

S. D.

THUS, Mr. Director, I have troubled you with my wife's Walk in London.' If it can afford the least amusement, or be productive of the least correction of a perverted taste, I shall feel exceedingly gratified. In the mean time I cannot avoid remarking, that the character of the present day, in regard to the foregoing details, seems to be a thoughtless extravagance, unproductive of taste or utility. To get money rapidly, and to

spend it tastefully or wisely, are very dif ferent things. In general, common sense and appropriate ornament go hand in hand.

I SUPPOSE we shall soon be at the mercy of a fresh set of innovators, who, I understand, are coming home from Kamtschatka, and the Friendly Islands, with numerous drawings of all the fine and strange things they have seen in those parts of the world; so that we may shortly expect to behold an indian god, or a female warrior, grinning upon the posts of the principal shops in Bond Street. Whether these innovators are described in the new edition of The Ship of Fools,' I have not had an opportunity of examining. But I tire you with this long epistle; it is time to assure you,

Sir,

How truly I am yours,

RUSTICUS.

BIBLIOGRAPHIANA.

I AM not aware of the sale of any curious or elegant collection of books, since that of Dr. Rawlinson's, before the year 1764; when the collection of Sir Clement Cottrell Dormer was disposed of. The catalogue was published under the following title:

6

A Catalogue of the genuine and elegant Library of the late

Sir C. C. DORMER,

Collected by Lieutenant General James Dormer; which will be sold, &c. by Samuel Baker, at his house in York Street, Covent Garden; to begin on Monday, February the 20th, 1764, and to continue the nineteen following evenings.' At the end of the catalogue we are told that the books were in general of the best editions, and in the finest condition, many of them in large paper, bound in morocco, gilt leaves, &c.'

THIS was a very choice collection of books, consisting almost entirely of

French, Greek, Latin, Italian, and Spanish. The number of articles did not exceed 3082, and of volumes, probably not 7000. The catalogue is neatly printed, and copies of it on large paper are exceedingly scarce, Among the most curious and valuable articles are the following:

No. 599. Les Glorieuses Conquestes de Louis le Grand, par Pontault, en maroquin. Paris,

1678.

N.B. In this copy, many very fine and rare portraits are added, engraved by the most eminent

masters.

No. 604. Recueil des Maisons Royales, fort bien gravés par Sylvestre, &c.

N.B. In the book was the following note. Ce recueil des Maisons Royales n'est pas seulement complet, en toutes manières, mais on y a ajouté de plusieurs plans, que l'on ne trouvent que très rarement. No. 731. Fabian's Chronicle. 1559. 752. Hall's ditto. 1548.

751. Higden's Polychronicon. 1527.

I should suspect that Dr. Askew purchased the large paper Hutchinson's Xenophon, and Hudson's Thucydides. Nos. 2246, 2585.

No. 2249. Don Quixote, por Cervantes. Madr. 4to. 1605. In hoc libro hæc nota est. Cecy est l'edition originale; il y a une autre du mesme année, imprimée en quarto, a Ma