OLION BASILEIOU TOU MEGALOU.]

These Scholia are written in a small, close, and yet free Greek character,
with frequent contractions. Several other pages exhibit the peculiar
devices of Henry and Diana--having silver crescents and arrow-stocked
quivers. This book is bound in boards, and covered with dark green velvet,
now almost torn to threads. In its original condition, it must have been an
equally precious and resplendent tome. It measures twelve inches and a
quarter, by eight inches and three eighths.

EUCLIDES. _Printed by Ratdolt_. 1482. Folio. A copy UPON VELLUM. The
address of Ratdolt, as it sometimes occurs, is printed in golden letters;
but I was disappointed in the view of this book. Unluckily the first leaf
of the text is ms. but of the time. At the bottom, in an ancient hand, we
read "_Monasterii S. Saluatoris bonon. signatus In Inuentario numero 524._"
It is a large copy, but the vellum is rather tawny.

PRISCIANUS. _Printed by V. de Spira_. 1470. Folio. First edition, UPON
VELLUM. This is a book, of which, as you may remember, some mention has
been previously made;[79] and I own I was glad to turn over the
membranaceous leaves of a volume which had given rise, at the period of its
acquisition, to a good deal of festive mirth. At the first glance of it, I
recognised the cropping system. The very first page of the text has lost,
if I may so speak, its head and shoulders: nor is such amputation to be
wondered at, when we read, to the left, "_Relie par_ DEROME dit le Jeune."
Would you believe it--nearly one half of the illumination, at top, has been
sliced away? The vellum is beautifully delicate, but unluckily not
uniformly white. Slight, but melancholy, indications of the worm are
visible at the beginning--which do not, however, penetrate a great way.
Yet, towards the end, the ravages of this book-devourer are renewed: and
the six last leaves exhibit most terrific evidences of his power. This
volume is bound in gay green morocco--with water-tabby pink lining.

BUDAEUS. COMMENT. GR. LING. 1529. Folio. Francis the First's own copy--and
UPON VELLUM! You may remember that this book was slightly alluded to at the
commencement of a preceding letter. It is indeed a perfect gem, and does
one's heart good to look at it. Budaeus was the tutor of Francis, and I
warrant that he selected the very leaves, of which this copy is composed,
for his gallant pupil. Old Ascensius was the printer: which completes the
illustrio