d by a
rational being.]

[Footnote 118: This work, in four books, was published at
Lyons, 1635, 4to. If it be not quite "Much ado about
nothing"--it exhibits, at least, a great waste of ink and
paper. Morhof seems to seize with avidity Baillet's lively
sentence of condemnation--"Il y a trop de babil et trop de
ce que nous appellons _fatras_," &c.]

[Footnote 119: Le Pere LOUYS JACOB published his "_Traicte
des plus belles Bibliotheques publiques et particulieres,
qui ont este, et qui sont a presents dans le monde_," at
Paris, in 1644--again in 1655, 8vo.--in which he first
brought together the scattered notices relating to
libraries, especially to modern ones. His work is well worth
consultation; although Baillet and Morhof do not speak in
direct terms of praise concerning it--and the latter seems a
little angry at his giving the preference to the Parisian
libraries over those of other countries. It must be
remembered that this was published as an unfinished
production: as such, the author's curiosity and research are
highly to be commended. I have read the greater part of it
with considerable satisfaction. The same person meditated
the execution of a vast work in four folio volumes--called
"_La Bibliotheque universelle de tous les Autheurs de
France, qui ont escrits en quelque sorte de sciences et de
langues_"--which, in fact, was completed in 1638: but, on
the death of the author it does not appear what became of
it. Jacob also gave an account of books as they were
published at Paris, and in other parts of France, from the
year 1643 to 1650; which was printed under the title of
_Bibliographia Parisina_, Paris, 1651, 4to. Consult
_Polyhist. Liter._, vol. i., pp. 189, 202: _Bibl. Creven._,
vol. v., pp. 281, 287. _Jugemens des Savans_, vol. ii., p.
151.]

[Footnote 120: He published a work entitled "_De
scriptoribus non-ecclesiasticis_," 1648, vol. i., 1649, vol.
ii., folio: in which his opinions upon authors are given in
the most jejune and rash manner. His other works, which
would form a little library, are reviewed by Leti with
sufficient severity: but the poor man was crack brained! And
yet some curious and uncommon things, gleaned from MSS.
which had probably never been unrolled or opened since their
e