[xv] 



Though it is hardly pertinent to this in- 

 troductory note, the temptation is strong to 

 dwell further on the treasures of his library. 

 These mentioned above were but samples 

 from the Bibliotheca Prima, and the superb 

 collection, with copious notes on each sepa- 

 rate item, is further subdivided into some 

 seven sections Bibliotheca Secunda, his- 

 torica, biographica, literaria, the incunab- 

 ulas, and so on. 



He was for seven years President of the 

 Bibliographical Society and as great a lover 

 of books as of men, but it should be borne 

 in mind that his library was being collected 

 and catalogued, not as a series of treasures 

 by reason of their rarity, but were regard- 

 ed as instruments for the advancement of 

 knowledge, and with this end in view the 

 collection was bequeathed to McGill Uni^ 

 versity. 



By good fortune, letters which give in- 

 teresting descriptions of the effect of the 



