the
bibliographer's consultation.----PINELLI. _Bibliotheca
Maphaei Pinelli Veneti, &c. A Jacobo Morellio._ Venetiis,
1787, 6 vols., 8vo. _Bibliotheca Pinelliana: a catalogue of
the magnificent and celebrated library of Maffaei Pinelli,
late of Venice_, &c., London, 1789, 8vo. There can be no
question about the priority, in point both of typographical
beauty and intrinsic excellence, of these catalogues; the
latter being only a common sale one, with the abridgment of
the learned preface of Morelli, and of his bibliographical
notices. This immense collection (of the ancient owners of
which we have a short sketch in Morhof, vol. i., pp. 28,
202) was purchased by Messrs. Edwards and Robson: the Greek
and Latin books were sold for 6786_l._, the Italian, for
2570_l._--which barely repaid the expenses of purchase,
including duties, carriage, and sale. Although, as Dr.
Harwood has observed, "there being no dust in Venice, this
most magnificent library has in general lain reposited for
some centuries, in excellent preservation,"--yet the copies
were not, upon the whole, in the choicest condition. There
are copies of the catalogue of 1789 upon LARGE PAPER. The
catalogue of 1787 (with an elegant portrait of Pinelli
prefixed) has, at first sight, the aspect of a work printed
in small quarto.----POMPADOUR. _Catalogue des Livres de la
Bibliotheque de feue Madame La Marquise de Pompadour, Dame
du Palais de la Reine_, Paris, 1765, 8vo. The name of Madame
de Pompadour will be always respected by bibliographers, on
account of the taste and judgment which are displayed in
this elegant collection. The old popular romances form the
leading feature; but there is an ample sprinkling of the
belles-lettres and poetry. An animated eulogium is
pronounced upon Mad. de Pompadour by Jarde, in his "Precis
sur les Bibliotheques;" prefixed to the last edition of
Fournier's _Dictionnaire Portatif de Bibliographie_, p.
vij.----PREFOND. _Catalogue des Livres du Cabinet de M.D.P.
(Girardot de Prefond) Par Guillaume F. De Bure_, Paris,
1757, 8vo. An excellent collection; not wanting in rare and
magnificent productions. The owner of it was distinguished
for many solid, as well as splendid, qualifications. Only
six copies of it were printed upon LARGE PAPER. See _Ca