Blackwell's 'Herbal,' 1740, 'finely coloured and best paper, in blue Turkey,' L14. The catalogue of this sale contained the interesting announcement: 'That the publick may be assured this is the genuine collection of Dr. Pellet, without addition or diminution, the original catalogue may be seen by any gentleman at the place of sale.' In 1754-55 Dr. Mead's books occupied fifty days, and produced L5,518 10s. 11d.; and in 1756 forty days devoted to the library of Martin Folkes yielded no more than L3,091 odd. In February, 1755, Baker sold Fielding's library of 653 lots (L364 7s. 1d.). Gradually more important properties came to hand--the effects of Samuel Tyssen, 1802, thirty-eight days, L9,102 16s. 7d.; Prince Talleyrand (_Bibliotheca Splendidissima_), 1816, eighteen days, only L8,399; James Bindley, 1819, twenty-eight days, L7,692 6s. 6d.; the Dimsdales, 1824, seventeen days, L7,802 19s. Of course, very interesting days have been experienced where the financial result was not very striking, as when, in 1799, the firm disposed of the library of the Right Hon. Joseph Addison, 'Author and Secretary of State,' for L533 4s. 4d.; and in 1833 of that of 'the Emperor Napoleon Buonaparte' (_sic_), removed from St. Helena, for L450 9s. (his tortoiseshell walking-stick bringing L38 17s.); and, once more, when the drawings of T. Rowlandson, the caricaturist, were sold in 1818 for L700. The libraries of the Marquis of Lansdowne, 1806; the Duke of Queensberry, 1805; Marquis of Townsend, 1812; Count McCarthy, 1789; H.R.H. the Duke of York, 1827; James Boswell, 1825; G. B. Inglis, 1826; Edmond Malone, 1818; Joseph Ritson, 1803; John Wilkes, 1802; and a large number of others, came under the hammer at Sotheby's from 1744 to 1828. But the portions--the first, second, third, ninth, and tenth--of the stupendous Heber Library, dispersed here in 1834, owing to the prevailing depression, and what Dibdin called the _bibliophobia_, nearly ruined the auctioneers. They rallied from the blow, however, and have never suffered any relapse to bad times, whatever account they may be pleased to give of the very piping ones which they have known pretty well ever since 1845, when Mr. Benjamin Heywood Bright's important library was entrusted to their care. The secret of this steady and sustained progress is to be found in the general confidence secured by strict commercial integrity. The house receives business, but never solicits it. During the last half century nearly every important library has been sold at Sotheby's, including the Hamilton Palace and Beckford, the Thorold, the Osterley Park, the Seilliere, and the Crawford libraries. [Illustration: _R. H. Evans, Book-auctioneer, 1812._]