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
Planta and Nares have done for the Cottonian and Harleian
MSS.--and what Mr. Douce is now doing for those of the
Lansdowne collection! One gentleman alone, of a very
distinguished college, in whom the acuteness and solidity of
Porson seem almost revived, might do wonders for the Greek
MSS., and lend an effectual aid towards the arrangement of
the others. The printed books might be assigned, according
to their several classes, to the gentlemen most conversant
with the same; and the numerous bibliographical works,
published since the catalogue of 1733, might be occasionally
referred to, according to the plan observed in the _Notitia
Editionum vel Primariae, &c., in Bibl. Bodl. Oxon._, 1795,
8vo.; which was judiciously drawn up by the Bishop of
London, and the Rev. Dr. William Jackson. I am aware that
the aged hands of the present venerable librarian of the
Bodleian library can do little more than lay the
foundation-stone of such a massive superstructure; but even
this would be sufficient to enrol his name with the
Magliabecchis and Baillets of former times--to entitle him
to be classed among the best benefactors to the library--and
to shake hands with its immortal founder, in that place
where are
et amoena vireta
Fortunatorum nemorum, sedesque beatae.
BONNIER. _Catalogue des livres de la Bibliotheque de
Bonnier._ Paris, 1800, 8vo. This catalogue is here
introduced to the bibliographer's notice in order to sharpen
his bibliomaniacal appetite to obtain one of the four copies
only which were printed upon LARGE PAPER of Dutch
manufacture. See _Cat. de Caillard_ (1808), no.
2596.----BOUTOURLIN. _Catalogue des livres de la
Bibliotheque de S.E.M. Le Comte de Boutourlin._ Paris (an.
xiii.), 1805, 8vo. Every one must conceive a high respect
for the owner of this choice collection, from the amiable
sentiments which pervade the preface to the catalogue. It
has a good index; and is elegantly printed. My copy is upon
LARGE PAPER.----DE BOZE. _Catalogue des Livres du Cabinet de
M. Claude Gros de Boze._ Paris. _De l'Imp. Royale_, 1745,
small folio. This is the first printed catalogue of the
choice and magnificent library of De Boze, the friend and
correspondent of Dr. Mead, between whom presents of books
were continually passing--as they were the first collectors
of the day in their respective countries. Some have said 50,
some 35, others 25, and others ONLY 12 COPIES of this
impression were struck off, as presents for the collector's
friends. Consult _Bibl. Mead_, p. 81, no. 617. _Bibl.
Creven._, vol. v., 291. _Bauer's Bibl. Rarior._, vol. i.,
151. _Bibl. Curieuse_, p. 12. _Bibl. Askev._, no. 508.
Barbier's _Dict. des Anonymes_, vol. ii., no. 8002.----DE
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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