ACCOUNTS, &C., OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 



sionaries, whom he favoured and assisted, and who were his instructors in European art 

 and learning, was himself a great writer, and he was struck by the alterations and cor- 

 ruptions which were gradually being introduced into the texts of standard works. He 

 therefore conceived the idea of reprinting, from the most authentic editions, the whole body 

 of Chinese literature then in existence. A commission of high officials was appointed to 

 select and classify the texts, and its labours extended over forty years, terminating in the 

 publication of the work in 1726. For the purpose of printing it, a complete fount of 

 copper type was cast, under the direction of the Jesuits, who probably superintended the 

 printing. Only one hundred copies were printed, a number which has doubtless been 

 much reduced since by various casualties. The whole impression was distributed as 

 presents amongst the Princes of the Imperial family and the great State officials. The 

 type used in the production of the work is said to have been melted down shortly after- 

 wards, and converted into money, to meet the exigencies of the government during a 

 financial crisis ; the means of producing a second edition was therefore thus destroyed. 

 The copies which still exist are in the hands of the families of the original recipients, from 

 one of which the coioy just acquired has been purchased, and no copy is known to be 

 accessible for reference in China. 



II. Considerable additions have been made to the series of specimens of early typo- 

 grajDhy ; upwards of 100 works printed during the 15th centui-y, and a large number of 

 rare books of the 16th century, having been acquired during the past year. Amongst 

 these may be distinguished : — 1. A magnificent Missal for the use of the Diocese of 

 Treves, printed on vellum, probably about the year 1480, the musical notes being inserted 

 by hand on red printed staves ; the place* of printing is unknown, but was probably 

 Cologne, and the book appears to be unique. — 2. A rare edition, printed at Burgos in 

 1488, of the code of Spanish law, compiled by A. Diaz de Montalvo, at the instance of 

 Ferdinand and Isabella, and afterwards known as the " Ordenan9as Reales." — 3. A copy 

 of the Mentz Missal, printed by Schoeffer in 1483. — 4, A rare work, printed at Barcelona, 

 entitled, " Comentaria Jacobi de Marquilles super usaticis Barchih. Barchinone 1505." 

 — 5. A very handsome service book, " Graduale secundum morem S. Romane Ecclesie, 

 Venetiis, Lucantonio di Giunta, 1515." It is distinguished by fine woodcut initial letters, 

 and it is stated that only four copies of the book are known. 



III. Two editions of the very rare catechism of King Edward the Sixth, composed 

 by Bishoj^ Poynet, entitled, " Catechismus brevis, Christiante disciplinae summam con- 

 tinens, omnibus ludimagistris authoritate regia commendatus. Huic Catechismo adjunct! 

 sunt articuli, &c., Londini apud R. Wolfium, 1553. 8o." Heylin says of this catechism, 

 that it is " so hard to come by, that scarce one scholar in 500 hath ever heard of it, and 

 hardly one of a thousand hath ever seen it." The Museum now possesses four distinct 

 editions of it, issued in the same year by the same printer; besides an edition m English, 

 printed in the same year by John Day ; and an Italian version of the same date, but 

 without name of place or piinter. 



IV. A fine copy of the second edition of the " Exercitia Spiritualia" of Saint Ignatius 

 de Loyola, published at Vienna in 1563, and printed by the Society of Jesus at their own 

 press there. This was the first work published by the Society ; the first edition having 

 \>eeTi privately printed &,t 'Rome in 1548, exclusively for the use of the Members of the 

 Order. A copy of this extremely rare first edition was acquired in 1872. 



V. A copy of Cary's translation of Dante, which was formerly in the possession of Mr. 

 Gillman, of Highgate, and contains critical notes on the " Paradiso," in the handwriting 

 of Samuel Taylor Coleridge. 



yi. " The orders, lawes and ancient customes of Swanns, caused to be printed by John 

 Witherings, Esquire, Master and Governour of the Royall Game of Swans and Signets, 

 throughout England, London, 1632, 4°." A very rare and curious tract on swans and 

 swan marks. It purports to be " taken forth of a booke which the Lord of Buckhurst 

 delivered to Edward Clerke, of Lincoln's Inne, Esquire, to peruse, An. Eliz. 26 ; on the 

 backside of which booke it was thus intituled : Taken out of an ancient booke remain- 

 ing with Master Hambden, sometimes Master of the Swanues." It contains engravings 

 of the marks of the King and Queen and various owners, and it formerly belonged to 

 Roger Pepys, Master of the Swans on the River Cam, whose autograph it bears. 



VII. A collection of German and Dutch tracts and news-letters, partly original and 

 partly translations, relating principally to the affairs of England, more especially in her 

 relations with the Continent, and ranging from 1528 to 1679. 



VIII. The Music Collection has received several valuable additions, chiefly from the 

 library of the late M. de Coussemaker, some of them being unknown to bibliographers. 

 Amongst them may be specified a fine collection of motetts, by Orlando dl Lasso, original 

 edition ; the first edition of P. Aron's '•' Toscanello in Musica ;"" tlie very rare 1512 edition 

 of the " Practica Musica " of Franchinus Gaforus ; two editions of " Les Rossignols 

 Spirituels," by Peter Philips ; music for the Lute by Francesco da Milano, Joan Maria 

 da Crema, L. de Rigaud and D. Bianchini, and a volume of guitar music by F. Corbet, 

 all of excessive rarity. 



3.59- A 4 IX. A rare 



