We now enter upon the reign of an active and enterprising monarch; who, though he may be supposed to have cut his way to the throne by his sword, does not appear to have persecuted the cause of learning; but rather to have looked with a gracious eye upon its operations by means of the press. In the reign of EDWARD IV., our venerable and worthy Caxton fixed the first press that ever was set to work in this country, in the abbey of Westminster. Yes, Lorenzo; now commenced more decidedly, the aera of BIBLIOMANIA! Now the rich, and comparatively poor, began to build them small _Book Rooms_ or _Libraries_. At first, both the architecture and furniture were sufficiently rude, if I remember well the generality of wood cuts of ancient book-boudoirs:--a few simple implements only being deemed necessary; and a three-legged stool, "in fashion square or round," as Cowper[274] says, was thought luxury sufficient for the hard student to sit upon. Now commenced a general love and patronage of books: now (to borrow John Fox's language) "tongues became known, knowledge grew, judgment increased, BOOKS WERE DISPERSED, the scripture was read, stories were opened, times compared, truth discerned, falsehood detected, and with finger pointed (at)--and all, THROUGH THE BENEFIT OF PRINTING."[275] [Footnote 274: The entire passage is worth extraction: as it well describes many an old stool which has served for many a studious philosopher: "Joint stools were then created: on three legs Upborne they stood. Three legs upholding firm A massy slab, in fashion square or round. On such a stool immortal Alfred sat, And sway'd the sceptre of his infant realms. And such in ancient halls and mansions drear May still be seen; but perforated sore, And drilled in holes, the solid oak is found, By worms voracious eating through and through." _Task_: b. i., v. 19, &c. It had escaped the amiable and sagacious author of these verses that such tripodical seats were frequently introduced into OLD BOOK-ROOMS; as the subjoined print--which gives us also a curious picture of one of the libraries alluded to by Lysander--may serve to shew: [Illustration: _Revelaciones Sancte Birgitte; ed. 1521, sign. z. 3 rev._]] [Footnote 275: _Book of Martyrs_, vol. i., p. 927; edit. 1641.] LIS. Now you have arrived at this period, pray concentrate your anecdotes into a reasonable compass. As you have inveigled us into the printing-office of Caxton, I am fearful, from your strong attachment to him, that we shall not get over the threshhold of it, into the open air again, until midnight. PHIL. Order, order, Lisardo! This is downright rudeness. I appeal to the chair!-- LORENZ. Lisardo is unquestionably reprehensible. His eagerness makes him sometimes lose sight of good breeding.