wo years. In
1834 he was compelled to sell his furniture, pictures, and articles of
virtu, but did not part with his books, which, on his death on the 17th
of January 1839, passed into the possession of his only son, Richard
Plantagenet Temple Nugent Brydges Chandos Grenville, who was born on
February the 11th, 1797. The habits of the son were not less extravagant
than those of his father, and in 1847 the effects at Stowe and his other
residences were seized by bailiffs, and in August and September 1848 the
pictures, furniture, china, plate, etc., were sold by auction, realising
over seventy-five thousand five hundred pounds. The printed books in the
library were sold by Sotheby and Wilkinson, on January 8th, 1849, and
eleven following days, and January 29, and eleven following days. There
were six thousand two hundred and twelve lots in the two sales, which
brought ten thousand three hundred and fifty-five pounds, seven
shillings and sixpence. The extensive and valuable series of engraved
portraits contained in the Duke's illustrated copy of the _Biographical
History of England_, by the Rev. James Granger, was sold by the same
auctioneers on March 5th and eight following days, and a continuation of
it by the Rev. Mark Noble, together with some other engravings, on the
21st of March and five following days. There were two thousand two
hundred and one lots in these two sales, for which the sum of three
thousand seven hundred and ninety-nine pounds, eighteen shillings and
sixpence was obtained. The manuscripts were bought by the Earl of
Ashburnham for eight thousand pounds. The collection of printed books in
the Stowe library was inferior in interest to that of the manuscripts,
but it contained some rare and choice volumes. Amongst them was a
block-book, _The Apocalypse_, which sold for ninety-four pounds;
_Missale ad usum Ecclesiae Andegavensis_, on vellum, printed in 1489,
sixty-three pounds; Le Fevre's _Recuyles of the Hystoryes of Troye_,
printed by Wynkyn de Worde in 1503, fifty-five pounds; a complete set of
the twenty-five parts in eight volumes of De Bry's _Collectiones
Peregrinationum_, printed at Frankfurt in 1590-1634, eighty-one pounds;
De Bry's _Relation of Virginia_, translated by Hariot, printed at
Frankfurt in 1590, sixty-three pounds; the first Shakespeare folio
(mended, and the title-page slightly imperfect), seventy-six pounds;
fine, large, and perfect copies of the second and third folios, eleven
pounds