Bibliomania; or Book-Madness: A Bibliographical RomanceDibdin, Thomas Frognall
History
Bibliomania; or Book-Madness: A Bibliographical Romance
Dibdin, Thomas Frognall
Bibliography; Bibliomania; Book collecting; Books -- Prices
of such and such qualities," said Lamoignon.--"I will bring
one exactly to suit you," replied Hermant--"but you must put
up with a diseased and repulsive exterior."--"Nous avons
besoin de fond," said the sensible patron, "la forme ne
m'embarasse point; l'air de ce pays, et un grain de sel
discret, fera le reste: il en trouvera ici." Baillet came,
and his biographer tells us that Lamoignon and Hermant
"furent ravis de le voir." To the eternal honour of the
family in which he resided, the crazy body and nervous mind
of Baillet met with the tenderest treatment. Madame
Lamoignon and her son (the latter, a thorough bred
bibliomaniac; who, under the auspices of his master, soon
eclipsed the book celebrity of his father) always took a
pleasure in anticipating his wishes, soothing his
irritabilities, promoting his views, and speaking loudly and
constantly of the virtues of his head and heart. The last
moments of Baillet were marked with true Christian piety and
fortitude; and his last breath breathed a blessing upon his
benefactors. He died A.D. 1706, aetatis 56. Rest his ashes in
peace!--and come we now to his bibliographical publications.
His "_Jugemens des Savans_," was first published in 1685,
&c., in nine duodecimo volumes. Two other similar volumes of
_Anti Baillet_ succeeded it. The success and profits of this
work were very considerable. In the year 1722, a new edition
of it in seven volumes, quarto, was undertaken and completed
by De La Monnoye, with notes by the editor, and additions of
the original author. The "Anti Baillet" formed the 8th
volume. In the year 1725, De La Monnoye's edition, with his
notes placed under the text--the corrections and additions
incorporated--and two volumes of fresh matter, including the
Anti Baillet--was republished at Amsterdam, in eight
duodecimo volumes, forming 16 parts, and being, in every
respect, the best edition of the _Jugemens des Savans_. The
curious, however, should obtain the portrait of Baillet
prefixed to the edition of 1722; as the copy of it in the
latter edition is a most wretched performance. These
particulars, perhaps a little too long and tedious, are
gleaned from the "Abrege" de la Vie de Baillet, printed in
the two last editions of the work just described.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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