118 



Mi". Evans en the Pretensions of the Bibliomaniacs. 



standing tlie pretty and navel appear- 

 ance of defaced engravings at tiie end 

 of tiie work, Mr. S. ninst inform the 

 subscribers how they are to ascertain 

 that only 350 impressions have been 

 taken: there will be no more signs of 

 350 than 3,500 having been printed. 

 The only satisfaction they will prodnce 

 is, that these exquisite cuts are de- 

 stroyed, and no more can be printed 

 from them. This is worse than tlio bar- 

 barous nation who destroyed the old, 

 when, in the opinion of the young, they 

 had become u.seless to the slate. Our 

 author refines upon this; he is for de- 

 stroying articles in the hfight of their 

 perfection, merely to ensure a monopoly 

 to a few, and produce the Christian-like 

 feelings of " coveting and desiring other 

 men's goods." I wonder, indeed, that 

 some errant bibliomaniac does not print 

 a work cniircly to himself, and have but 

 one copy taken. This wouM, indeed, 

 be u unique ; and upon the decease of its 

 fortunate possessor, would prove a for- 

 tune to his heir when knocked down by 

 the magic hammer of my namesake in 

 PalllMall. Tlie /wrrida hella, at the 

 Roxburghe sale, as Mr. Dibdin terms 

 it, would be calmness compared to this 

 tumult; and many a fair manor would 

 be mortgaged to raise a sum suiTicient 

 for the purchase. Such a treasure 

 would be inestimable, and be one of 

 those gems whicli the yoiuig Templar 

 of the famed club observed, would, 

 " doubtless, prove an ample provision 

 for a otlicrwisG portionless child." If a 

 female, she would hold all the young 

 bibliomaniacs in her chains, and might 

 have her choice; for, who could resist 

 the charms of a lady possessed of — a 

 unique copy ! 



Long accustomed to be considered a 

 bookworm, and ranked even as a biblio- 

 niamac, I have lately discovered that 

 I have very little pretensions to these 

 titles. My views have not been chiefly 

 directed to the type, nor has the antique, 

 or original, binding stopped any further 

 examination of the work; the distinction 

 of uncut copies, I wouU' willingly ex- 

 change for a ploughed and marble- 

 sprinkled margin, for the former is diffi- 

 cult to turnover, and the latter easy: 

 black-letter f can scarcely decypber, 

 and with Gothic letters I am totally un- 

 acquainted; an unique cofiy I am not 

 aware that I possess, and should con- 

 sider it a decisive proof it was not worth 

 possessing, since no one conceived it 

 worthy of re-printing: I have never been 

 anxious to collect all tho editious ef a 



[Sept. 1, 



work, but have been content with tho 

 best, even though it has been improved 

 by the original autJior, or a svibscquent 

 editor: I have looked to the Colophon 

 scldomer than to the author's name, and 

 have conceived it no recommendation of 

 a work, that only ninety-nine persons, 

 besides myself, could boast of a copy. 

 In short. Sir, I have valued books for 

 the matter of instruction they intrinsi- 

 cally contain, rather than any extrinsic 

 circumstances attached to them. It is true, 

 I have rummaged book-stalls, and col- 

 lected books; but neither the date, type, 

 nor even binding, has been my guide. 

 If, therefore, I have any claims to the 

 title of Bibliomaniac, they are different 

 fiom the modern standard, and I hope 

 to a\oid being classed with them. That 

 a passion so beneficial as the collecting 

 and perusing of useful books should 

 ever degenerate to the modern practice, 

 is to be lamented ; that men should boast 

 of their folly, and celebrate their shame, 

 is disgusting; but, when they proceed to 

 the extremity of burnhig and destroying, 

 narrowing and monopolizing, the pro- 

 ductions of the press, they deserve to be 

 branded as the enemies of literature 

 and science, rather than their friends 

 and protectors; to be viewed as the 

 harpie."!, who touch but to taint and 

 corrupt. Like the plants which grow 

 under the protection of some noble 

 building, they gradually insinuate them- 

 selves into the crevices of its walls, till 

 they loosen the cement which connects 

 them together, and reduce to a heap of 

 ruins that edifice, without whose pro- 

 tecting shade they would never have 

 been enabled to creep into notice or 

 importance. L. Evans. 



To the Editor of the Montldy Magazine, 



SIR, 



1AM much flattered by your polite 

 insertion of some trifles of mine in 

 your late Magazines: please point out 

 the following errata: — 



In the account of the Society at Gree- 

 nock for the Encourav;emcnt of Arts and 

 Sciences, in your nianber for May, p. 295, 

 I. 8, {orfritnds ve^A funds. 



In the account of the sacrifice of Rode* 

 ric Mackenzie in 1746, second sentence, a 

 comma is wanting after " dismal times." 



In tlie directions for making the AVelsh 

 substitute for coals, p. 405, 1. 23 from the 

 beginning of the paragraph, for ^ slime 

 from the tracps," read, " slime from the 

 Thames." — N.B. This composition ought 

 to be distributed instead of coal, by the 

 society in Loudoa for supplying the poor 

 with fuel. 



A work 



