Of AUTHORS. 433 



a word, every art, fciencc, and language, has 

 now its bibliorhequc or catalogue of books that 

 treat of fuch matters as relate to it ; and F. 

 Labbe, a Jefuit, has compofed a bibliotheque 

 of bibliotheques, which contains merely a cata- 

 logue of them, and of the authors of all nations 

 who have made catalogues of books. It is 

 manifeft, that a work like this mud afford vaftly 

 more initruclion on this fubjedt, than our limits" 

 can poflibly allow us to give. 



VII. It is not lefs important to know the 

 character of an author, than to know his works. 

 For this purpofe, it is proper to be acquainted 

 with the hiftory of his life , i. at what time he 

 lived-, 2. in what country he lived; 3. his 

 rank by birth ; 4. who were his relations ; 5. 

 what was his fortune, flation, or employment ; 

 6. if he can be fufpected of partiality, or is 

 fuppofed to be difinterefted, with regard to the 

 fubject on which he treats ; 7. what were the 

 principal incidents in his life , 8. what feel or 



:on he profefled ; 9. who were his matters, 

 colleagues, or cotemporaries ; 10. if he was a 

 married or fingle man , 1 1. if he travelled, and 

 many other like particulars. 



VIII. To the knowledge of books likewife 

 belongs that of tranflations : as wheth' 

 work in a faithful, < and 

 agret .inner or not-, into what 1 



each vahuhlr book h;.s been Irani'. 



III. EC are 



