ly, of the least part of them. (From Oldys's _interleaved
Langbaine_. See Brydges's _Cens. Literar._, vol. i., p.
438.) In the year 1743-4 appeared an account of this
collection, under the following title, _Catalogus
Bibliothecae Harleianae, &c._, in four volumes (the 5th not
properly appertaining to it). Dr. Johnson was employed by
Osborne to write the preface, which, says Boswell, "he has
done with an ability that cannot fail to impress all his
readers with admiration of his philological attainments."
_Life of Johnson_, vol. i., 81, edit. 4to. In my humble
apprehension, the preface is unworthy of the doctor: it
contains a few general philological reflections, expressed
in a style sufficiently stately, but is divested of
bibliographical anecdote and interesting intelligence. The
first two volumes are written in Latin by Johnson; the third
and fourth volumes, which are a repetition of the two
former, are composed in English by Oldys: and,
notwithstanding its defects, it is the best catalogue of a
large library of which we can boast. It should be in every
good collection. To the volumes was prefixed the following
advertisement: "As the curiosity of spectators, before the
sale, may produce disorder in the disposition of the books,
it is necessary to advertise the public that there will be
no admission into the library before the day of sale, which
will be on Tuesday, the 14th of February, 1744." It seems
that Osborne had charged the sum of 5_s._ to each of his
first two volumes, which was represented by the booksellers
"as an avaricious innovation;" and, in a paper published in
"_The Champion_," they, or their mercenaries, reasoned so
justly as to allege that "if Osborne could afford a very
large price for the library, he might therefore afford to
_give away_ the catalogue." _Preface to_ vol. iii., p. 1. To
this charge Osborne answered that his catalogue was drawn up
with great pains, and at a heavy expense; but, to obviate
all objections, "those," says he, "who have paid five
shillings a volume shall be allowed, at any time within
three months after the day of sale, either to return them in
exchange for books, or to send them back, and receive their
money." This, it must be confessed, was sufficiently
liberal. Osborne was also