ly national work by a system of
co-operation such as was found workable in the case of the Philological
Society's Dictionary of the English Language. Sub-editors of the different
letters might be appointed, and to them all titles could be sent. When the
question of printing arose, it would be well to commence with the chief
authors. These bibliographies might be circulated, by which means many
additions would be made to them, and then they could be incorporated in
the general alphabet. In such a bibliography books in manuscript ought to
be included, as well as printed books. Although there is little doubt that
many books still remain unregistered, we are well supplied with catalogues
of books made for trade purposes. Maunsell[31] was the first to publish
such a list, and in 1631 was published a catalogue of books issued between
1626 and 1631.[32] William London[33] published his Catalogue in 1658,
and Clavell's his in 1696.[34] Bent's Catalogue, published in 1786, went
back to 1700,[35] and this was continued annually as the London Catalogue.
The British and English Catalogues[36] followed, and the latter is also
published annually.[37]

For early printed books, Ames and Herbert's great work[38] is of much
value, but information respecting our old literature has increased so much
of late that a new history of typographical antiquities is sadly needed.
Mr. Blades has done the necessary work for Caxton, but the first English
printer's successors require similar treatment.

William Thomas Lowndes, the son of an eminent bookseller and publisher,
and himself a bookseller, published in 1834 his _Bibliographer's
Manual_[39] which has remained the great authority for English Literature.
It had become very scarce when Henry Bohn, in 1857, brought out a new
edition with additions in a series of handy volumes, which is an
indispensable book of reference, although it is far from being the
complete work that is required.

Allibone's _Dictionary_[40] contains much that is omitted in Lowndes's
Manual, but it is more literary than bibliographical in its scope. The
well-selected criticisms appended to the titles of the several books are
of considerable interest and value to the reader. Mr. W.C. Hazlitt's
Handbooks[41] are exceedingly valuable as containing information
respecting a class of books which has been much neglected in
bibliographical works. The compiler has been indefatigable for some years
past in registering the titles of