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
Bodoni, and is an indispensable article in the collection of
the typographical antiquary. See the _Dict. de Bibliologie_,
vol. iii., p. 286.----PANZER'S _Annales Typographici_, in
eleven quarto volumes (1793-1803) is a work of the very
first importance to bibliographers. Its arrangement, after
the manner of Orlandi's, is clear and most convenient; and
the references to authorities, which are innumerable, are,
upon the whole, very faithful. The indexes are copious and
satisfactory. This work (of which I hear there are only
three copies upon LARGE PAPER) contains an account of books
which were printed in all parts of Europe from the year
1457, to 1536, inclusive; but it should be remembered that
the author published a distinct work in the year 1788, 4to.,
relating to books which were printed, within the same
period, in the _German Language_; and this should always
accompany the eleven Latin volumes. I will just add from it,
as a curiosity, the title and colophon (translated into
English) of the first printed book in the German
language:--"THE PUBLICATION OF DIETHERS, ELECTOR OF MAYENCE,
AGAINST COUNT ADOLPHUS OF NASSAU; _given out under our
impressed seal on Tuesday, after the fourth Sunday in
Advent, anno Domini 1462_." Consult also Wurdtwein's _Bibl.
Mogunt._, p. 80; and the authorities there referred to. It
seems doubtful whether this curious little brochure, of
which scarcely any thing more than a fragment now remains,
was printed by Fust and Schoeffer, or by Gutenberg.]
What countenances are those which beam with so much quiet, but
interesting, expression? They are the resemblances of DENIS and
CAMUS:[156] the former of whom is better known from his _Annalium
Typographicorum Maittaire Supplementum_; and the latter very generally
respected abroad, although our acquaintance with him in this country
is exceedingly slight. If I mistake not, I observe the mild and modest
countenance of my old acquaintance, HERBERT, in this bibliographical
group of heads? Do not despise his toil[157] because it is not
sprinkled with gay conceits, or learned digressions: he wrote to be
useful, not to be entertaining; and so far as he went, his work was
such an improvement upon his predecessor's plan as to place it quite
at the head of NATIONAL TYPOGRAPHY. See yonder the sensible
countenance of HARWOOD![158] the first writer in this country who
taught us to consider the respective merits and demerits of the
various editions of Greek and Latin authors.
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