d you of the small but choice library which
affords such a melancholy proof of its owners' fate; while the more
splendid examples of Smith[43] and West[44] serve to shew the
increased ravages of a disease, which seemed to threaten the lives of
all, into whose ears (like those of "Visto,") some demon had
"whispered" the sound of "TASTE." These three striking instances of
the fatality of the Bibliomania occurred--the first in the year 1764;
and the latter in 1773. The following year witnessed the sale of the
Fletewode[45] library; so that nothing but despair and havoc appeared
to move in the train of this pestiferous malady. In the year 1775 died
the famous Dr. Anthony Askew, another illustrious victim to the
Bibliomania. Those who recollect the zeal and scholarship of this
great book-collector, and the precious gems with which his library[46]
was stored from the cabinets of De Boze and Gaignat, as well as of
Mead and Folkes, cannot but sigh with grief of heart on the thought
of such a victim! How ardently, and how kindly [as I remember to have
heard his friend Dr. Burges say], would Askew unfold his glittering
stores--open the magnificent folio, or the shining duodecimo, UPON
VELLUM, embossed and fast held together with golden knobs and silver
clasps! How carefully would he unroll the curious MS.--decipher the
half effaced characters--and then, casting an eye of ecstacy over the
shelves upon which similar treasures were lodged, exult in the
glittering prospect before him! But death--who, as Horace tells us,
raps equally at the palaces of kings and cottages of peasants, made
no scruple to exercise the knocker of the Doctor's door, and sent, as
his avant-courier, THIS DEPLORABLE MANIA! It appeared; and even Askew,
with all his skill in medicine and books, fell lifeless before
it--bewailed, as he was beloved and respected!

[Footnote 42: "A Catalogue of the genuine and elegant
Library of the late Sir C.C. DORMER, collected by
Lieutenant-General James Dormer, which will be sold, &c., by
Samuel Baker, at his house in York Street, Covent Garden; to
begin on Monday, February the 20th, 1764, and to continue
the nineteen following evenings." At the end of the
catalogue we are told that the books were "in general of the
best editions, and in the finest condition, many of them in
_large paper_, bound in morocco, gilt leaves, &c."

This was a very choice collection of books, consis