opos of this 'Elegy,' there are
only three uncut copies known, and one of these was obtained by Mr.
Augustine Birrell, Q.C., a few years ago by a stroke of great good luck.
He happened to be passing through Chancery Lane one day, and, having a
little time at his disposal, dropped into Messrs. Hodgson's rooms, where
a sale of books was in progress. At the moment of his entry some volumes
of quarto tracts were being offered, and taking one of them in his hand,
he opened it at random, and saw--a fine uncut copy of the famous
'Elegy'! He bought the lot for a few shillings. It may be mentioned that
the original manuscript of Gray's 'Elegy' sold for L130 in 1854.

Such are a few of the excessively rare books, whose appearance in the
market is at all times an event in the book-collecting world. Partly as
an illustration of our forbears' wit, and partly as a list of curious
and highly imaginary titles, the following article from the _London
Magazine_ of September, 1759, is well worth quoting here:

'_BOOKS selling by Auction, at the Britannia, near the
Royal Exchange._

_By_ L. FUNNIBUS, _Auctioneer_.

'"Gratitude," a Poem, in twenty-four cantos, from the original
German of Lady Mary Hapsburgh, published at Vienna in the year
1756.--"Machiavel the Second, or Murder no Sin," from the
French of Monsieur le Diable, printed at Paris for le Sieur
Daemon, in la Rue d'Enfer, near the Louvre.--"Cruelty a
Virtue," a Political Tract, in two volumes, fine imperial
paper, by Count Soltikoff.--"The Joys of Sodom," a Sermon,
preached in the Royal Chapel at Warsaw, by W. Hellsatanatius,
Chaplain to his Excellency Count Bruhl.--"The Art of
Trimming," a Political Treatise, by the learned Van-Self, of
Amsterdam.--"Self-Preservation," a Soliloquy, wrote extempore
on an Aspen Leaf on the Plains of Minden; found in the pocket
of an Officer who fell on the First of August.--"The Art of
Flying," by Monsieur Contades; with a curious Frontispiece,
representing Dismay with Eagle's Wings, and Glory with a pair
of Crutches, following the French Army.--"The Reveries of a
Superannuated Genius, on the Banks of Lake Liman, near
Geneva," by M. Voltaire.--"The Spirit of Lying," from
"L'Esprit Menteur" of Monsieur Maubert.--"Political
Arithmetic," by the same Author; in which is proved to
Demonstration that Two is more than Five, and tha