death, Henry G. Bohn offered L30,000 for the whole library;
but Beckford's second daughter, who married the Duke of Hamilton,
refused to sanction the sale. It, however, came under the hammer at
Sotheby's, 1881-1884, in four parts of twelve days each, the net result
being L73,551 18s.

The tenth Duke of Hamilton was one of the most distinguished
bibliophiles of his time, and commenced purchasing whilst yet Marquis of
Douglas. A large portion of his library was collected in Italy and
various parts of the Continent, whilst the collection of Greek and Latin
manuscripts which he obtained when on a diplomatic mission to Russia
formed an unrivalled series of monuments of early art. In 1810 he
married Susanna Beckford, and at her father's death the whole of his
splendid library came into his possession. The two collections, however,
were kept quite distinct. The Hamilton collection of printed books was
sold at Sotheby's in May, 1884, the eight days realizing L12,892 12s.
6d. The most important feature of the library, however, was the
magnificent collection of MSS. which the Prussian Government secured by
private treaty--through the intermediary, it is understood, of the
Empress Frederick--for L70,000. In May, 1889, those which the
authorities decided not to retain for the Royal Museum at Berlin were
transferred to Messrs. Sotheby's, and ninety-one lots realized the total
of L15,189 15s. 6d. The gems of the collection were a magnificent volume
of the Golden Gospels in Latin of the eighth century, formerly a gift to
Henry VIII., which sold for L1,500--a London bookseller once offered
L5,000 for this book--and a magnificent MS. of Boccaccio, 'Les Illustres
Malheureux,' on vellum, 321 leaves, decorated with eighty-four exquisite
miniatures, which sold for L1,700. It may be mentioned that a large
number of the Beckford and Hamilton books were purchased through the
late H. G. Bohn.

[Illustration: _George John, Earl Spencer._]

The Althorp Library, now in the possession of Mrs. Rylands, of
Manchester, was formed by George John, Earl Spencer (1758-1834),
between 1790 and 1820. Until its recent removal from Althorp it was the
finest private library in existence. In 1790 Lord Spencer acquired the
very fine and select library of Count Rewiczki, the Emperor Joseph's
Ambassador in London, for about L2,500, and for the next thirty years
the Earl was continually hunting after books in the sale-rooms and
booksellers' shops. The story of th