We heard some time since that the long-established and highly-respectable house of Payne and Foss, of Pall Mall, had succeeded the late Mr. Rodd in the agency of purchasing for the British Museum. The rumour proved to be unfounded, and now receives a formal contradiction by the announcement that Messrs. Payne and Foss are retiring from business, and that the first portion of their extensive and valuable Stock of Books will be sold by auction by Messrs. Sotheby and Co.; the first division in a ten days' sale, commencing on the 18th and terminating on the 28th March; which will be followed by the second division, which will also occupy ten days, and commence on Monday the 8th April. The lovers of choice copies of fine editions of first-class books will have, on this occasion, such an opportunity of enriching their collections as rarely presents itself. We have received the following Catalogues:-- "Number Two, for 1850, of John Miller's Catalogue of Books, old and new, on sale at 43. Chandos Street, Trafalgar Square." "Catalogue of curious and rare Books, recently purchased, now on sale by George Bumstead, 205. High Holborn." "Catalogue (No. 5.) of Books, Theological and Miscellaneous, and Catalogue (No. 6.) of Books, consisting chiefly of Foreign Literature and Theology, on sale by Andrew Clark, No. 4. City Road." "Cheap List of useful and curious Books relating to Ecclesiastical History, Councils, Ceremonies, the Puritans, &c., on sale by S. and I. Palmer, 24. Red Lion Street, Holborn." "A List of Books, chiefly curious ones, now selling by Thomas Kerslake, Bookseller, at No. 3. Park Street, Bristol." * * * * * BOOKS AND ODD VOLUMES WANTED TO PURCHASE. (_IN CONTINUATION OF LISTS IN FORMER NOS._) HIERONYMUS MAGIUS DE TINTINABILIS. 12mo. 1608 and 1664. A. STOCKFLEET DE CAMPANARUM USU. REIMANU'S DISSERTATIO DE CAMPANIS. NICOL. EGGER'S DISSERTATIO DE ORIGINE ET NOMINE CAMPANARUM. EJUSDEM DISSERTATIO DE CAMPANARUM MATERIA ET FORMA. PACICHELLI DE TINTINABULO NOTANO LUCUBRATIO. WALLERI DISSERTATIO DE CAMPANIS ET PRÆCIPUIS EARUM USIBUS. HILCHER DE CAMPANIS TEMPLORUM. ARNOLDUS DE CAMPANARUM USU. 12mo. 1665. ROCCHA DE CAMPANIS COMMENTARIUS. 1612. THIERS, TRAITE DES CLOCHES. MITZLER DE CAMPANIS. ESCHENWECKER DE EO QUOD IUSTUM EST CIRCA CAMPANIS. PINGRE'S ACCOUNT OF HIS VOYAGE TO RODRIGUEZ, published (?) at Paris about 1762. DUDLEY RYDER's REPORT ON THE PETITION OF BERKELEY SEYMOUR, ESQ., CLAIMING THE BARONY OF SEYMOUR AND DUKEDOM OF SOMERSET. Published 1750, pp. 15. folio. PRIVATE ACT, 12 WM 3., FOR THE SALE OF THE ESTATES OF ARTHUR LACY, ESQ., CO. SOMERSET. BELL ON THE HAND. Bridgewater Treatises. _Odd Volumes._ MADRAS JOURNAL OF LITERATURE AND SCIENCE. Vols I. to IX. CATALOGUE OF HARLEIAN MSS., Vol. IV. WOODS'S ATHENÆ OXONIENSES (ed. Bliss.), Vol. III.