d upon LARGE
PAPER.----COUVAY. _Catalogue de la bibliotheque de M.
Couvay, chevalier de l'ordre de Christ, secretaire du Roi_,
Paris, 1728, fol. Very few copies of this catalogue were
printed, and those only for presents. _Bibliogr. Curieuse_,
p. 21.----CREVENNA. _Catalogue raisonnee de la collection
des Livres de M. Pierre Antoine Crevenna, Negocient a
Amsterdam_, 1776, 4to., six vols.--_De la meme collection_,
1789, 8vo., five vols.--_De la meme collection_, 1793, 8vo.
Of these catalogues of one of the most extensive and
magnificent collections ever formed in Amsterdam, the first
impression of 1776 (to which I have generally referred) is
by far the most valuable in regard to bibliographical
remarks and copious description. Peignot tells us that no
bibliographer can do without it. It was commenced in the
year 1774, and published during the life time of Peter
Antony Crevenna, the father; from whom the collection passed
into the hands of the son Bolongari Crevenna, and in whose
lifetime it was sold by public auction. The second
impression of 1789 is the sale-catalogue, and contains more
books than the preceding one; but the bibliographical
observations are comparatively trifling. There are copies of
this latter impression upon LARGE PAPER in quarto. I possess
an interesting copy of the small paper, which has numerous
marginal remarks in pencil, by Mr. Edwards; who examined the
library at Amsterdam, with a view to purchase it entire. The
last catalogue of 1793, which was published after the death
of the son, contains a few choice books which he had
reserved for himself, and, among them, a curious set of
fac-simile drawings of old prints and title-pages; some of
which were obtained at the sale of the elder Mirabeau (vide
post). It seems to have been the ruling passion of B.
Crevenna's life to collect all the materials, from all
quarters, which had any connection, more or less, with "THE
ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF PRINTING," and it is for ever to be
regretted that such extensive materials as those which he
had amassed, and which were sold at the sale of 1793 should
have been dissipated beyond the hope of restoration. See
Peignot's _Dict. de Bibliologie_, vol. iii., p. 100; and his
_Curiosites Bibliographiques_, p. 139.----CROZAT. _Cat