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
[Footnote 107: MUTIUS PANZA'S work, under the title of
_Ragionamenti della Libraria Vaticana_, Rome, 1590, 4to.,
and ANGELUS ROCCHA'S, that of _Bibliotheca Apostolica
Vaticana, Rome_, 1591, 4to., relate rather to the ornaments
of architecture and painting, than to a useful and critical
analysis, or a numbered catalogue, of the books within the
Vatican library. The authors of both are accused by Morhof
of introducing quite extraneous and uninteresting matter.
Roccha's book, however, is worth possessing, as it is
frequently quoted by bibliographers. How far it may be
"Liber valde quidem rarus," as Vogt intimates, I will not
pretend to determine. It has a plate of the Vatican Library,
and another of St. Peter's Cathedral. The reader may
consult, also, the _Jugemens des Savans_, vol. ii., p. 141.
My copy of this work, purchased at the sale of Dr. Heath's
books, has a few pasted printed slips in the margins--some
of them sufficiently curious.]
[Footnote 108: Consult Renouard's _L'Imprimerie des Alde_,
vol. ii., 122, &c. One of the grandest works which ever
issued from the Vatican press, under the superintendence of
Aldus, was the vulgate bible of Pope Sixtus V., 1590, fol.,
the copies of which, upon LARGE PAPER, are sufficiently well
known and coveted. A very pleasing and satisfactory account
of this publication will be found in the _Horae Biblicae_ of
Mr. Charles Butler, a gentleman who has long and justly
maintained the rare character of a profound lawyer, an
elegant scholar, and a well-versed antiquary and
philologist.]
Let us here not forget that the celebrated LIPSIUS condescended to
direct his talents to the subject of libraries; and his very name, as
Baillet justly remarks, "is sufficient to secure respect for his
work," however slender it may be.[109] We now approach, with the
mention of Lipsius, the opening of the 17th century; a period
singularly fertile in bibliographical productions. I will not pretend
to describe, minutely, even the leading authors in this department.
The works of PUTEANUS can be only slightly alluded to, in order to
notice the more copious and valuable ones of POSSEVINUS and of
SCHOTTUS;[110] men who were ornaments to their country, and whose
literary and bibliographical publications have secured to them the
gratitude of posterity. While the labours of these authors were
enriching the republic of literature, and kindling all around a love
of valuable and curious books, the _Bibliotheca Historica_ of
BOLDUANUS, and the _Bibliotheca Classica_ of DRAUDIUS[111] highly
gratified the generality of readers, and enabled the student to
select, with greater care and safety, such editions of authors as were
deserving of a place in their libraries.
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