bibliographical notices?

"By no means, Philemon. I think as highly of our own as did the author
of the Aprosian library[190] of the Dutch booksellers; and I love to
hear that the bibliographical labour bestowed upon a catalogue has
answered the end proposed, by sharpening the appetites of purchasers.
But the present is a different case. Mustapha might have learnt good
sense and good manners, from his right hand, or left hand, or
opposite, neighbour; but he is either too conceited, or too obstinate,
to have recourse to such aid. What is very remarkable, although he is
constantly declaiming against the enormous sums of money given for
books at public auctions, Mustapha doth not scruple to push the
purchaser to the last farthing of his commission; from a ready knack
which he hath acquired, by means of some magical art in his foresaid
laboratory, of deciphering the same; thus adopting in a most
extraordinary manner, the very line of conduct himself which he so
tartly censures in others."

[Footnote 190: See pages 103-4, of Wolfius's edition of the
_Bibliotheca Aprosiana_, 1734, 8vo. It is not because Mr.
Ford, of Manchester, has been kind enough to present me with
one of the _six_ copies of his last catalogue of books,
printed upon STRONG WRITING PAPER--that I take this
opportunity of praising the contents of it,--but that his
catalogues are to be praised for the pains which he exhibits
in describing his books, and in referring to numerous
bibliographical authorities in the description. While upon
this subject, let me recommend the youthful bibliomaniac to
get possession of Mr. Edwards's catalogues, and especially
of that of 1794. If such a catalogue were but recently
published, it would be one of the pleasantest breakfast
lounges imaginable to _tick off_ a few of the volumes with
the hope of possessing them at the prices therein afixed.]

PHIL. Was this the gentleman whose catalogue (as you shewed me)
contained the fascinating colophon of Juliana Berner's book of
hawking, hunting, and heraldry, printed in the year 1486, subjoined to
a copy of the common reprint of it by Gervase Markham--thereby
provoking a thousand inquiries after the book, as if it had been the
first edition?

"The same," resumed I. "But let us leave such ridiculous vanity."

LIS. Who is that gentleman, standing towards the right of the
auctioneer, and looking so intently