me, and direct my steps
homewards, I am always sure to find myself, before I reach my
threshold, in company with at least half a dozen gossipping and
well-meaning rustics. In other departments of reading, history and
poetry are my delight. On a rainy or snowy day, when all looks sad and
dismal without, my worthy friend and neighbour, PHORMIO, sometimes
gives me a call--and we have a rare set-to at my old favourite
volumes--the '_Lectiones Memorabiles et Reconditae_' of WOLFIUS[172]--a
commonplace book of as many curious, extraordinary, true and false
occurrences, as ever were introduced into two ponderous folios. The
number of strange cuts in it used to amuse my dear children--whose
parent, from the remembrance of the past, still finds a pleasing
recreation in looking at them. So much, dear Philemon, for my
desultory mode of studying: improve upon it--but at all events, love
your books for the good which they may produce; provided you open them
with 'singleness of heart--' that is, a sincerity of feeling.

[Footnote 170: Every school-lad who has written a copy under
a writing-master, or who has looked into the second book of
the _"Selectae e Profanis Scriptoribus," &c._, has probably
been made acquainted with the sentiments of the above
ancient heathen philosophers relating to Learning and Books;
but may not have been informed of the conciliatory manner in
which our countryman De Bury has invited us to approach the
latter. "Hi sunt magistri (says he) qui nos instruunt sine
vergis et ferula, sine verbis et colera, sine pane et
pecunia. Si accedis, non dormiunt; si inquiris, non se
abscondunt; non remurmurant, si oberres; cachinnos nesciunt,
si ignores." These original and apt words are placed in the
title-page to the first volume of _Dr. Clarke's
Bibliographical Dictionary_.]

[Footnote 171: "Il y a 300 pieds cubes de livres de
theologie,"--"qui tapissent les murs des deux premieres
salles de la Bibliotheque Imperiale." Caillot: _Roman
Bibliographique_, tom. i., 72, edit. 1809.]

[Footnote 172: There are few men, of any literary curiosity,
who would not wish to know something of the work here
noticed; and much more than appears to be known of its
illustrious author; concerning whom we will first discourse
a little: "JOHANNES WOLFIUS (says Melchoir [Transcriber's
Note: Melchior] Adam), the laborious