"1805.7 
need of a proper generalization, to confti-; 
tute one of theanoft important and fer- 
tile principles in the fcience of metaphyfics. 
It is obvious, in fact, that, in the for- 
mation of libraries, every man has a pe- 
culiar defisn and a predominant tafte, 
and that any book may be confidered as 
an individual of that clafs, to which the 
charaéter and the profeffion of the pro- 
prietor is apt to ‘afcribe it. We can 
eafily conceive, and pretty generally 
fee, that a fet of books may be arranged 
either in a peculiar or in an univer/al 
point of view, in a fyfematical or hifto- 
rical method, ina chronological or topo- 
graphical feries, and in as many other 
ways as the owner choofes, and as the 
manyfold character of the books will admit. 
Our reader will already imagine, that, in 
confequence of this, Mr. Paterfon was air 
enemy to thole fyftems of bibliography, 
which are now generally practifed on the 
Continent, and that he fet na importance 
even onthe newly eftablithed clafhification of 
the “* Univerfal Repertory of Literature,”’ 
publifhed at Jena ; and we hope, indeed, 
that thofe among the readers themfelves, 
who have happened to look at the men- 
tioned catalogue, will not only coincide 
with our bibliographer’s opinion, but will 
perhaps fmile at feeing all the branches of 
human knowledge confined in fixteen claf- 
fes, and the laft of them intitled, ** Mif- 
cellaneous Works,’ the proper meaning 
of which words has a tendency to deftroy 
the whole claffification ! 
Mr, Paterfon aéted* confiltently with 
thefe ideas in all his bibliographical per- 
formances ; and it is owing to the merit 
of an appropriate, circumitantial, and 
judicious claffification, that his catalogues 
are unrivalled, and fome of them are juit- 
ly regarded as models. We refer the 
readers to the catalogues themlelves, 
and efpecially to the Bibliotheca, Fleet- 
woodiana, Beauclerkiana, Croftfiana, Pi- 
nelliana, publifhed from time to time, as 
well as tothofe of the Strange, Fagel and 
Tyffen libraries,which he performed within | 
the lait two years of his life; and they 
will perceive in each of them, an admira- 
ble fpirit of order exhibited in different 
ways, and fuggefted by thofe fuperior abi- 
lities which alone can difcover and appre- 
ciate theie variable combinations of the 
feveral circumttances. ‘ 
A man fo thoroughly converfant in the 
hiftory of literature: could not fail to per- 
ceive, that a vaft number of books were 
held as valuable and {carce in England, 
which were rather common in other coun- 
Memoirs of Mr, Paterfon. AS 
tries. He thought he could do his na- 
tive country an effential fervice, and pro- 
cure emolument for himfelf, if he thould, 
undertake a journey thro’ {ome parts of the 
continent, and fucceed in purchafing fome 
articles of this defcription. With this 
view-he fet out for the continent, in 1776, 
and actually bought a capital colleétion of 
boeks, which, on his return to England, 
he digefted in the catalogne, (the bef, per- 
haps, of his performances, ) that bears the 
title of **Bibliotheca Univerfalis Seleéta.’” 
We are concerned, that we have it not in 
our power to relate here with per{picuity 
and precifion, .an -interefling .anecdote, 
which took place during Mr. Paterion’s 
ftay on the continent. One of the moft 
re{pectable bookfellers of London had 
been his fellow-traveller in that journey 5 
and being informed of his cefgn, and re- 
lying on his good fenfe and excellent in-_ 
tention, offered him his friendly affiftance, 
He lent him a thoufand pounds, to. be em- 
ployed in an additional purchale of books, 
in hopes that he might have the money re- 
turned to him, when the fpeculatioa was, 
carried into execution. Mr. Paierfon, as 
ufual, proved unfuccefsful ; and the gener- 
ous friend, fympathifing in his misfortunes, 
has never fince claimed the return of his 
loan! The writer can fay no'more; the 
gentleman in queftion is one of his moft 
refpectable friends; and he is too much 
aware of his amiable mode(ty not to fee} 
that he would take offence if his name 
fhould happen to be mentioned. 
The fame of Mr. Paterfon had come to 
the ears of a nobleman of high refpecta- 
bility, from his excellent moral cha- 
racter, his love of learning, and his poli- 
tical and oratorical abilities. This emi- 
nent perfon requefted the learned biblio- 
grapher to arrange his elegant and valua- 
ble library, to compile a detailed cata- 
logue of his books and manuferipts, and 
to accept, for the purpofe, the place of his 
librarian, with a liberal falary. The of- 
fer was too generous, and the projector of 
it too refpeGtable, not to meet withan im- 
mediate compliance. Mr. Paterfon ac- 
cordingly entered into the office of libra- 
rian, remained in it for fome years, and 
perhaps expected to clofe his life in the 
fame {tation ; when, unfortunately, a mif- 
-underftanding took place between my 
Lord and him, by which he was obliged 
to withdraw.) We have curforily and res 
lu€tantly noticed this faét; as it is un- 
pleafant to confider that an event of this 
kind fhould ever have taken place be- 
tween two eminent charaéters, each of 
4 which 
