eriod, it may be
right to inform you that the treasures of this Library suffered materially
from the commotions of the Calvinists. Those hot-headed interpreters of
scripture destroyed every thing in the shape of ornament or elegance
attached to book-covers; and piles of volumes, however sacred, or
unexceptionable on the score of good morals, were consigned to the fury of
the flames. Of the remaining volumes which I saw, take the following very
rapid sketch. Of _Hours_, or _Church Services_, there is a prodigiously
fine copy of an edition printed by _Vostre_, in 4to., upon paper, without
date. It is in the original ornamented cover, or binding, with a forest of
rough edges to the leaves--and doubtless the finest copy of the kind I ever
saw. Compared with this, how inferior, in every respect is a cropt copy of
_Kerver's_ impression of a similar work, printed upon vellum! This latter
is indeed a very indifferent book; but the rough usage it has met with is
the sole cause of such inferiority. I was well pleased with a fair, sound
copy of the _Speculum Stultorum_, in 4to., bl. letter, in hexameter and
pentameter verses, without date. Nor did I examine without interest a rare
little volume entitled "_Les Origines de quelques Coutumes anciennes, et de
plusieurs facons de parler triviales. Avec un vieux Manuscrit en vers,
touchant l'Origine des Chevaliers Bannerets_; printed at Caen in 1672,
12mo.: a curious little work. They have a fine (royal) copy of _Walton's
Polyglot_, with an excellent impression of the head; and a large paper copy
of _Stephen's Greek Glossary_; in old vellum binding, with a great number
of ms. notes by Bochart. Also a fine large paper _Photius_ of 1654, folio.
But among their LARGE PAPERS, few volumes tower with greater magnificence
than do the three folios of _La Sainte Bible_, printed by the Elzevirs at
Amsterdam, in 1669. They are absolutely fine creatures; of the stateliest
dimensions and most attractive forms. They also pretend that their large
paper copy of the first edition of _Huet's Praeparatio Evangelica_, in
folio, is unique. Probably it is, as the author presented it to the Library
himself. The _Basil Eustathius_ of 1559, in 3 volumes folio, is as glorious
a copy as is Mr. Grenville's of the Roman edition of 1542.[131] It is in
its pristine membranaceous attire--the vellum lapping over the fore-edges,
in the manner of Mr. Heber's copy of the first Aldine Aristotle,--most
comfortable to behold! T