S. T. Chester, February 4th. WHAT HAS BEEN THE HIGHEST PRICE EVER PAID FOR A VOLUME?--In the course of my reading lately on Bibliography, I observe that at the sale of the Duke of Roxburgh's Library in May, 1812, the first edition of the Decamerone of Boccaccio produced the enormous sum of £2260. In the Catalogue the work is entitled-- "Boccaccio il Decamerone. Fol. M. G. Ediz. Prim. Venet. Valdarfer, 1471." It was bought by the Duke of Marlborough, and again sold by public auction from his Library, by Mr. Evans, Pall Mall, in June, 1819, for the large price of £918. 15_s._ In that Catalogue it is entitled-- "Boccaccio il Decamerone, (Venezia), per Christoful Valdarfer di Ratispona, MCCCCLXXI." At this time it was purchased by Mr. Longman, apparently for Lord Spencer, in whose library it is said at present to be. A note to the above Catalogue mentions that, "notwithstanding the publicity of the extraordinary sum which this book produced at the Roxburgh Sale, all researches throughout Europe to procure another copy have proved entirely fruitless. This volume still continues to be the only known perfect copy of this edition, and is, in all probability, the only copy which will ever be offered for public sale. Its unparalleled rarity, however, is not its only recommendation, as it contains many important readings which have not been followed in any subsequent edition." If any of your learned correspondents could give us additional information as to this rare and apparently valuable volume, it would be doubtless interesting to Bibliographers. Has any volume ever brought a higher price, or any work even in a series of volumes? It is most probable that the other copies of this Edition have fallen under the ban of the Pope. W. B. M. JAMES SMITH. The mention of this gentleman by your Correspondent J. in your "Current Notes" for January (p. 7), reminds me that no author in the English language ever received so high a remuneration "per line" for his verses as James Smith. Longman's famous payment to Moore of a guinea a line for "Lalla Rookh" is as nothing to it, for Mr. Strachan, the King's printer, was so pleased with an epigram by Smith of eight lines, that he actually, in a codicil to his will bequeathed him £3000, or £375 per line. R. S. O. SMITH! The name of the "far famed Ruffian of the Adelphi," as your Correspondent, Mr. John Smith, in your Current Notes for January last, p. 7, is pleased to style a gentleman of quiet habits and literary tastes, whose real Christian names, are Richard John--the O being merely his theatrical soubriquet, possesses in his Album among many other interesting records the following witty testimonial from the late Mr. Mathews: