224 



MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1862. 

 The Yery Eev. Charles Geaves, D.D., President, in the Chair. 

 D. E. Mac Caethy, Esq., read the following paper 

 Memoies of the Cotjet of Spain, feom 1679 to 1681.^' (Asceibed to 



THE MaEQTJIS DE YiLLAES.) 



The publication of M. Delepierre's " Analyse des Traveaux dela Societe 

 des Philobiblon de Londres"f has revived in me the interest which I took 

 at the beginning of the year (1862) in a bibliographical inquiry connected 

 with the above subject, but which, with other matters of more import- 

 ance, I have had to put aside under the pressure of a severe domestic 

 affliction. Along with the circumstances personal to myself which have 

 suspended my labours in this direction, and would still suspend them 

 but for the appearance of M. Delepierre's "Analyse," I felt a disinclina- 

 tion to make public a chain of circumstances connected with the in- 

 quiries that preceded the publication of Mr. Stirling's volame, which, 

 however delicately handled, might have the appearance of conveying a 

 reflection upon the bibliographical knowledge and literary industry of 

 the many distinguished personages who, in one way or the other, have 

 been parties to a mistake which has scarcely ever been paralleled in 

 the annals of bibliography. I need not say that I totally disclaim any 

 such intention; and that towards Mr. Stirling himself, the principal 

 victim, I may say, to the short memory of his friends, and indeed to 

 his own, I feel that respect which his eminent services to literature and 

 art so justly entitle him. Indeed, the frank and friendly spirit in which 

 Mr. Stirling received from me the first, perhaps unwelcome, intelligence 

 of the previous publication of his book, and the valuable assistance which 

 he has since given me in the prosecution of the inquiry, leave no doubt 

 in my mind that he will accept the following narrative in the spirit in 

 which it has been drawn up — a narrative which, if possessing little 

 historical value, will be found to present bibliographical features of no 

 common interest from which, perhaps, a future " Curiosities of Litera- 

 ture" may obtain materials for one of the not least amusing of its 

 chapters. 



The account which Mr. Stirling gives of the time and mode of his 

 procuring the MS., and of its subsequent publication by him, is given in 



* "Memoires de la Cour d'Espagne, depuis I'annee 1679 jusqu'en 1681." Paris, 

 1733. 



" Memoires de la Cour d'Espagne, depuis I'annee 1678 jusqu'en I'annee 1682." — 

 MS. in the possession of William Stirling, Esq., M. P. 



"Memoires de la Cour d'Espagne, sous le Regne de Charles IL, 1678-1682." Par 

 LeMakquis de Villars. (Edited by Mr. Stuiing). Londres: Triibner et C>^ 1861. 



t " Analyse des Traveaux de la Societe des Philobiblon de Londres." Par Octavk 

 Delepierre. Londres : Triibner et C'^, 1862. 



