s purchaser; so that students of
every subject now bury themselves in his stores with great content and
profit. But history in all its branches, heraldry and genealogy,
biography and topography, are his especially strong points.'

Rawlinson bequeathed all his manuscripts, with the exception of private
papers and letters, 'to the chancellor, masters and scholars of the
University of Oxford, to be placed in the Bodleian Library, or in such
other place as they should deem proper'; and he further directed that
they should be 'kept separate and apart from any other collection.' All
his deeds and charters, his books printed on vellum or silk, and those
containing MS. notes, together with some antiquities and curiosities,
were also left by him to the University. His manuscript and printed
music he bequeathed to the Music School. The number of manuscripts left
by him exceeded four thousand eight hundred in number, together with a
large collection of charters and deeds. A catalogue of them has been
made by the Rev. W.D. Macray, the author of the _Annals of the Bodleian
Library_. The printed books which he selected from his library for the
University amounted to between eighteen and nineteen hundred.[72] Other
books and manuscripts, together with some valuable pictures and coins,
were given by him to the Bodleian Library during his lifetime. The
remainder of his printed books, with the exception of a few which he
bequeathed to St. John's College, were sold by auction by Samuel Baker,
of York Street, Covent Garden, at two sales. The first commenced on the
29th of March 1756, and lasted fifty days. It consisted of nine thousand
four hundred and five lots, which fetched one thousand one hundred and
sixty-one pounds, eighteen shillings and sixpence. The second sale,
which, as the preface to the catalogue informs us, consisted of 'upwards
of Twenty Thousand Pamphlets ... and his most Uncommon, Rare and Old
Books,' began on Thursday, March 3rd, 1757, and was continued on the
nine following evenings. It realised but two hundred and three pounds,
thirteen shillings and sixpence. These were followed by a sale of
prints, books of prints and drawings, upwards of ten thousand in number.
One hundred and sixty-three pounds, ten shillings and threepence,
however, was all that could be obtained for them. Marked catalogues of
the three sales are preserved in the Library of King George III. in the
British Museum. The prices at all the sales were ve