anonymously or under a _nom de plume_, and when once you have
become aware of the titles of such books or their writers' pseudonyms,
you are not likely to forget them.

A few years ago (1911) Messrs. Hodgson the auctioneers discovered a thin
folio consisting of an illustrated title-page and eight lithographed
plates depicting scenes in the life of a ballet-girl, among a portfolio
of engravings which had been sent to them for disposal. There was no
letterpress, but the title ran 'Flore et Zephyr, Ballet Mythologique par
Theophile Wagstaffe,' and it was published in London and Paris, 1836. The
owner thought it unworthy of notice in a lengthy catalogue of his books,
but in spite of its Gallic title its author was none other than
Thackeray, and it was one of his first publications. On being offered for
sale, it was knocked down at L226.

'Poems by Two Brothers,' a small octavo published at London in 1827, will
bring you twenty pounds if you are so fortunate as to come across it. The
brothers were Alfred and Charles Tennyson. Then there is a slim octavo of
some 150 pages which appeared at Newark in 1807, entitled 'Poems on
Various Occasions.' It is by Lord Byron, and is worth fifty pounds at
least; if in the original boards, more than double that amount. 'King
Glumpus: an Interlude in one Act,' a pamphlet consisting of some twenty
pages, was probably by John Barrow; but it was illustrated by Thackeray,
and is usually to be found under the heading 'Thackerayana.' It was
printed in 1837, on blue writing paper, and issued privately in buff
wrappers. Recently it has fetched L153, but you may have a hundred for it
any day.[71]

Shelley's 'Adonais: An Elegy on the Death of John Keats' was first
published at Pisa in 1821, a large quarto in blue wrappers. It has
recently fetched 2,050 dollars in America, and you may have even more for
a perfect copy, in the original state, of his 'Queen Mab,' printed by the
author at 23, Chapel Street, Grosvenor Square, in 1813. Both are
exceedingly scarce. Another rare book of Shelley's is 'Original Poetry,'
by Victor and Cazire, which was put forth at Worthing in 1810. The poet
wrote it in his youth, and although it was known that such a volume had
been printed and that it had been suppressed by its author immediately
before publication, it was considered a lost work until its rediscovery
in 1897.

Byron's 'English Bards and Scotch Reviewers' one can purchase in the
second, third, or fourth ed