ere printed in the
fifteenth century. I possess a brochure of 71 pages,
containing a catalogue of books printed in the fifteenth
century, which has Consul Smith's arms at the beginning,
and, at the end, this subscription, "Pretiosissima haec
librorum collectio, cujusvis magni principis Bibliotheca
dignissima, constat voluminibus ccxlviii." The title-page
has no date. I suspect it to be the same catalogue of books
which is noticed at p. 77, ante, and which probably the
Consul bought: forming the greater part of his own library
of early printed books. See too the _Bibliogr. Miscellany_,
vol. ii., 72. The collection of 1773 was sold by auction,
for Mr. Robson, by Messrs. Baker and Leigh--and a fine one
it was. Among these books, the Spira Virgil of 1470, printed
UPON VELLUM, was purchased for _only twenty-five guineas_!

Excidat ille dies aevo--ne postera credant
Saecula--!

----SOLGER. _Bibliotheca sive Supellex Librorum Impressorum,
&c., et Codicum Manuscriptorum, quos per plurimos annos
collegit, &c., Adamus Rudolphus Solger._ Norimb., 1760,
8vo., three parts or vols. I should almost call this
publication "facile princeps Catalogorum"--in its way. The
bibliographical notices are frequent and full; and saving
that the words "rarus, rarior, et rarissimus," are sometimes
too profusely bestowed, nothing seems to be wanting to
render this a very first rate acquisition to the collector's
library. I am indebted to the bibliomanical spirit of honest
Mr. Manson, of Gerard-street, the bookseller, for this
really useful publication.----SOUBISE. _Catalogue des livres
imprimes et manuscrits, &c., de feu Monseigneur Le Prince de
Soubise (par feu Le Clerc)_, Paris, 1788, 8vo. A short
history of this collection will be the best inducement to
purchase the present catalogue, whenever it comes in the way
of the collector. The foundation of this splendid library
was that of the famous De Thou's [vide Art. THUANUS, post],
which was purchased by the Cardinal de Rohan, who added it
to his own grand collection--"the fruit of a fine taste and
a fine fortune." It continued to be augmented and enriched
'till, and after, it came into the possession of the PRINCE
DE SOUBISE--the last nobleman of his name--who dying in
January, 1789, th