tant; but, in proportion to its importance, equally difficult to describe-as it operates upon the history of the Bibliomania. Now blazed forth, but blazed for a short period, the exquisite talents of Wyatt, Surrey, Vaux, Fischer, More, and, when he made his abode with us the incomparable Erasmus. But these in their turn.

PHIL. You omit Wolsey. Surely he knew something about books?

LYSAND. I am at present only making the sketch of my grand picture. Wolsey, I assure you, shall stand in the foreground. Nor shall the immortal Leland be treated in a less distinguished manner. Give me only ample room and verge

I am the firste fole of all the hole navy

To kepe the pompe, the helme, and eke the sayle:
For this is my mynde, this one pleasoure have I-
Of bokes to haue great plenty and aparayle.

I take no wysdome by them: nor yet avayle
Nor them perceyve nat: And then I them despyse.
Thus am I a foole, and all that serue that guyse.

Shyp of Folys, &c. Pynson's edit. 1509, fol.

enough,' and a little breathing time to collect my powers, and then

LIS. Yes and then'-you will infect us from top to toe with the BOOK-DISEASE!

PHIL. In truth I already begin to feel the consequence of the innumerable miasms of it, which are floating in the atmosphere of this library. I move that we adjourn to a purer air.

LYSAND. I second the motion: for having reached the commencement of Henry's reign, it will be difficult to stop at any period in it previous to that of the Reformation.

LIS. Agreed. Thanks to the bacchanalian bounty of Lorenzo, we are sufficiently enlivened to enter yet further, and more enthusiastically, into this congenial discourse. Dame nature and good sense equally admonish us now to depart. Let us, therefore, close the apertures of these gorgeous decanters :

'Claudite jam rivos, pueri: sat prata bibêrunt!'

PART V.

The Drawing Room.

HISTORY OF THE BIBLIOMANIA, OR ACCOUNT OF

BOOK COLLECTORS, CONCLUDED.

Some in Learning's garb

With formal hand, and sable-cinctur'd gown,

And rags of mouldy volumes.

AKENSIDE; Pleasures of Imagination, b. iii. v. 96.

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