Netherlands, which will be found in its place at page xx. No doubt the labour of collecting the materials, collating and comparing the texts of various editions of early voyages and travels, of separating that which appertains to American History from more general matter, and of sifting the archives and muniments of Spain and Portugal, of England and Holland, and of Italy and France, which, for the most part, are still all but untrodden ground to the American antiquary, is considerably beyond the physical powers of a single individual. To be well and efficiently done, Mr. Stevens' Bibliographia Americana requires a competent staff, and if he would only confine himself to its superintendence, by a proper subdivision of labour, a great portion of which is all but mechanical, we might hope to see it accomplished within a reasonable time.

MDCXXIX.

EPITOME DE LA BIBLIOTECA ORIENTAL I OCCIDENTAL, Nautica i Geografica. Al excelentiss. Señor D. Ramiro Nuñez Perez Felipe de Guzman, Señor de la casa de Guzman, Duque de Medina, etc., etc., por el Licenciado ANTONIO DE LEON. Con Privilegio. En Madrid, por Juan Gonzalez, año de 1629. 4to, 47 and 186 pp. and then xii. pp.

Antonio de Leon, afterwards de Leon-Pinelo, was a member of the Council of the Indies. His duties led him to investigate the state of literature in the Spanish possessions, in the tropical regions of both hemispheres, and he prepared an elaborate work on the subject. During its progress, by desire of his superiors, he drew up this abstract of the materials he had collected, which he divided into four sections, as indicated on the title-page. The second of these, the "Biblioteca Occidental," pp. 61-136, contains the titles of books relating to America. In the Appendix, at the end of the volume, at pp. vi. vii., he added a further list from the "Bibliotheca Historica," of Bolduanus, which did not reach him in time to enable him to insert these additions in their proper places. Prefixed, as was usual at the period, are a number of commendatory poems, addressed to the author, and also a "Discorso apologetico,' consisting of eight pages, by his brother, Juan Rodriguez de Leon. The work itself consists of a useful catalogue of authors, arranged alphabetically, in 33 pages, followed by an alphabetical list of books published anonymously, and by a table of 18 pages. The latter is entitled: "Tabla Declaratoria de las lenguas en que escrivieron los autores que se hallan en este Epitome, i Provincias donde se hablan," and is chiefly valuable as regards the languages of South and Central America. The preface gives the outline of the author's plan, and the history of his labours, and in it he also advocates that, instead of America, the New World should be called Iberica. This edition of the Epitome is a book of great rarity, and the above account of it is by Dr. H. E. Ludewig, who had access to the copy in Congress Library at Washington.

MDCCXIV.

BIBLIOTHECA AMERICANE PRIMORDIA: An Attempt towards laying the Foundations of an American Library, in several Books, Papers, and Writings, humbly given to the Society for Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, For the Perpetual Use and Benefit of their Members, their Missionaries, Friends, Correspondents, and Others concerned in the Good Design of Planting

and Promoting Christianity within Her Majesty's Colonies and Plantations in the West Indies. By a member of the said Society. London: printed for S. Churchill, at the Black Swan in Pater Noster Row, 1713. 4to, 3 leav. xvi. and 275 pp. 112 leav. of Table. (By BISHOP WHITE KENNET, enlarged by the REV. THOMAS WATTS.)

The title appears to have been printed off before the completion of the book, which contains, at p. 274, the titles of books published in 1714, and the Advertisement at the commencement of the volume bears the date 1 Nov., 1714, which fixes the period of its publication. Bishop White Kennet, when Dean of Peterborough, was an active member of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, and wrote its history, published in quarto, in 1706. In 1713 he presented his collection of books, relating to America and Her Majesty's other Colonial Possessions, to the Society, and the letter of donation, bearing date the 1st of Oct. in that year, is given by way of introduction to the catalogue, which was printed by order of the Society, under the editorial care of the Rev. Thomas Watts. At the donor's suggestion, Mr. Watts added an accurate and elaborate table, consisting of 112 leaves, and it was the compilation of this table that retarded the publication of the work till 1714. The whole is arranged in chronological order; the discoveries under their proper dates, and the books and editions under their respective periods of publication. The titles are given at length in most cases, the places of publication always mentioned, and the names of the publishers sometimes indicated. The number of pages and sheets, and the size, are all carefully noted. Mr. Watts's index enhances the great utility of this valuable work, which, according to Dr. Dibdin, was reprinted in 1791. M. Raffinesque states that similar publications appeared in 1701 and in 1709. Dr. Ludewig, however, doubts the accuracy of either of these statements.

MDCCXXXVII.

EPITOME DE LA BIBLIOTECA ORIENTAL Y OCCIDENTAL, nautica y geografica de DON ANTONIO de LEON-PINELO, del Consejo de S. M. en la casa de la contratacion de Sevilla y Coronista mayor de las Indias. Añadido y enmendado nuevamente, en que se contienen los Escritores de las Indias orientales y occi. dentales y Reinos convecinos, China, Tartaria, Japon, Persia, Armenia, Etiopia y otras partes. Al Rey, nuestro Señor. Por mano del Marques de Torrenueva, su Secretario de despacho universal de Hacienda, Indias, i Marina. Con privilegio. En Madrid en la oficina de Francisco Martinez Abad, en la calle del olivo baxo. Año de 1737, 1738, 3 vols. folio.

This second and greatly enlarged edition of Leon's Epitome was intended by Barcia to accompany his edition of Herrera, commenced in 1726; but the materials having greatly accumulated under his hand, he issued it as a separate book. The pages, columns, or sheets, as the case may be, are numbered, and the numerals, either Roman or Arabic, run through all three volumes consecutively. The editor has added two dedications, one to Philip V., and the other to the Marques de Torrenueva, both bearing date 19 Dec., 1737; a "proemio de esta segunda edicion," well worthy of attention; separate titlepages to each volume; several tables, one of anonymous writings, and two of authors, both under Christian and Surnames; and lists of errata to each

volume. Besides these, each volume is accompanied by an appendix containing
Barcia's own additions. Vol. I., published in 1737, contains the Biblioteca
Oriental; Vol. II., in 1738, the Biblioteca Occidental y Nautica; and Vol.
III., of the same date, the Biblioteca Geografica. The title of the second
volume, which embraces the works on America, runs thus:

BIBLIOTECA ORIENTAL, OCCIDENTAL, Nautica y Geografica de DON ANTONIO
DE LEON PINELO, del Consejo de S. M. en la casa de la contratacion de Sevilla
y Coronista mayor de las Indias. Añadido y enmendado nuevamente en que se
contienen los escritores de las Indias occidentales, especialmente del Peru,
Nueva-España, la Florida el Dorado, Tierra firma, Paraguay, el Brasil, y
Viajes a ellas, y los autores de navegacion y sus materias y sus apendices. Al
Rey nuestro Señor, por mano de el Marques de Torre-nueva. TOMO SEGUNDO.
Con privilegio. En Madrid en la oficina de Francisco Martinez Abad, en la
calle del olivo baxo, año de 1738.

The "Biblioteca Occidental " occupies columns 516-912, and is divided into
27 chapters. The Appendix (Appendice II. de algunas cosas que se han omiti-
do y se han enmendas y añadir en el Epitome de la biblioteca occidental)
follows, pp. 913-932. The "Tabla declaratoria" occupies nearly nine pages
of the first volume, though referring to the second.

Barcia, as we learn from the Bibliotheca Nova Americana of Mr. Rich, p. 55,
No. 7, was in possession of an extensive collection of books and manuscripts
relating to America, which were dispersed after his death. From these and
other sources he enriched this edition of Leon's Biblioteca; and as it would be
next to impossible now to trace these down to our day, owing to the Napoleonic
and the more recent civil wars having caused so many of them to be scattered
or destroyed, his additions, though not always marked by minute bibliographical
accuracy, are most valuable. Indeed, the most competent judges do not fail to
regard Barcia as high authority respecting manuscript sources of information.

MDCCLXXXIX.

BIBLIOTHECA AMERICANA, or, a Chronological Catalogue of the most curious
and interesting books, pamphlets, and state papers, &c., upon the subject of North
and South America, from the earliest period to the present, in print and in
manuscript, for which research has been made in the British Museum, and the
most celebrated public and private libraries, reviews, catalogues, &c.; with an
introductory discourse on the present state of literature in those countries.
London, printed for J. DEBRETT, opposite Burlington House, Piccadilly;
J. Sewell, Cornhill; R. Baldwin and J. Bew, Paternoster Row, and E.
Harlowe, St. James's Street, 1789. 4to, 2 leaves, and 271 pp. (By J. Debrett.)
Debrett tells us in his prefatory remarks, dated March, 1789, that an Ameri-
can, who had intended writing the history of his own country, applied to him
to assist him with materials for his work, knowing that he had devoted some
attention to the subject, and this led to his compiling the present catalogue.
He disclaims all merit beyond producing a book which, for want of a better,
might prove useful; and his work makes no pretension to bibliographical ac-
curacy. It, however, enables us to supply many omissions in Barcia, and to
correct some inaccuracies in his descriptions of printed books. The prefatory
remarks occupy pp. 1-3; the introductory discourse, pp. 5-21; extracts

from the first volume of Cullen's Translation of Clavigero, containing some
literary notices, and also extracts from the Catalogues of Printed Books and
Manuscripts in the British Museum, pp. 23-46; a chronological list of
literary productions to the year 1788, pp. 47-219 (compiled from Bishop
Kennet's Primordia, Robertson's History, and the advertisements of the
Monthly Review); a catalogue of some European and Creole authors, who
have written on the doctrines of Christianity and morality in the languages of
New Spain, with a list of dictionaries and grammars, extracted from Clavigero,
pp. 221–227; a catalogue of American State-Papers (from Jefferson's Virginia),
pp. 229-262; and the table, pp. 263–267. Dalrymple, no mean authority,
made use of Debrett in the compilation of the following catalogue :-

MDCCCVII.

CATALOGUE OF AUTHORS, who have written on Rio de la Plata, Paraguay,
and Chaco; collected by A(LEXANDER) DALRYMPLE. London, printed by
Ballantine and Law, and sold by T. Wingrave. 4to, 22 pp.

The catalogue occupies 16 pp., and is formed from Leon-Pinelo's Epitome,
with Barcia's additions; beyond which there are other materials collected from
Muratori, from Debrett's Bibliotheca Americana, and from the Library of the
British Museum. The books are arranged in chronological order, from 1534
to 1806. The two supplements, pp. 17-20, and pp. 21, 22, bear respectively
the dates of London, July 30, 1807, and London, January 6, 1808. The
titles are not given at length, but are abridged and sufficiently accurate for
general purposes.

MDCCCXVI.

BIBLIOTHECA HISPANO-AMERICANA SEPTENTRIONAL: || Catálogo y Noticia
De Los Literatos || Que ó Nacidos ó Educados ó Florecientes En La || America
Septentrional Española, Han Dado A Luz || Algun Escrito, O Lo Han Dexado
Preparado Para || La Prensa. || La Escribia || El Doctor D. JOSE MARIANO
BERISTAIN DE SOUZA, || Del Claustro De Las Universidades De Valencia Y
Va-Lladolid, || Caballero De La Orden Española De Carlos III. y Comendador
De La Real Americana De Isabel La Catolica, Y Dean De La || Metropoli-
tana De Mexico. [The figure of Gemini] || En Mexico: ||
Santo Domingo Y Esquina De Tacuba Año De 1816.

|| Calle De

Then follows the Dedication, two pp. commencing :-A Fernando Septimo, ||
Rey Catolico De España Y De Las Indias. Pp. i.-xviii. Discurso Apolo-
getico De La Liberalidad Del Gobierno Español En Sus Americas, || Que
Serve De Prologo | A La Biblioteca Hispano-Americana Septentrional.
Page xviii. closes with: Resumen De Los Escritores | que comprende la biblio-
teca Hispano-Americana Septentrional:-Anonimos, 470; || Obispos, 242; ||
Clerigos seculares, 658; || Religiosos Dominicos, 259; || Franciscanos:-Ob-
servantes, 474, || Descalzos, 068; || Agustinos, 124; | Carmelitas Descalzos,
071; Mercedarios Calzados, 080; Jesuitas, 375; || Hospitalorios de S.
Juan de Dios, 005; || Belemitas, 005; || Hipolitos, 005; Capuchinos, 006; ||
Mugeres, 016; || Seglares, 829; || Total, 3687. Then come four pages: Cen-
sura Del M. R. P. Mtro. Y Dr. Fr. Manuel Mercadillo; Censura Del Sr. Dr.
D. Matias Monteagudo; Declamen Del Sr. D. Felipe Martinez de Aragon; and
the imprimatur, signed by Sr. D. Juan Ruiz de Apodaca, Virey De Esta Nueva

España: (and by) Sr. Don Pedro Jose De Fonte, Arzobispo de está Metrópoli, Oct. 20, Nov. 30, 1816. Mexico.

:

The text follows, pp. 1-510, beginning: Abad (P. Diego José), and ending with Funes (D. Geronimo) and F. V. Fin Del Tomo I.-O. S. C. S. M. E. C. A. R. There is also a fly-title, running thus: Bibliotheca || HispanoAmericana || Septemtrional. (sic) || Tomo I. || Que Contiene Las Letras || A. B. C. D. E. F.

Fly-title to Vol. II.-Bibliotheca || Hispano-Americana || Septentrional. || Tome II°. Que Contiene Las Letras || G. H. I. J. K. L. M. || N. O. P. Q. R. || On the reverse: Nota. || El Editor de la presente Obra que lo es desde || el pliego quarenta y Siete del primer Tomo, no || ha hecho otra cosa ni hará, que procurar la fiel || Correspondencia en un todo, de lo impreso con lo manuscrito; de suerte, que el Publico tendrá || la Obra, tal qual su Autor la escribio.||

From this notice it is seen that the author died before the publication of the second volume. His manuscript was, however, placed in the hands of his nephew, whose name appears on the general title as editor.

The title to the second volume accords with that of the first, to the word Mexico, after which is added: y La Publica || DON JOSE RAFAEL ENRIQUEZ TrespalaCIOS BERISTAIN, || Sobrino del Autor. [The figure of Gemini.] En Mexico: || Oficina De D. Alexandro Valdés, Calle De Santo Domingo, Año De 1819.

The text follows, pp. 1–525, beginning: Gabalda (Fr. José), and ending with: Quiros y Camposagrado (D. Manuel), after which: Fin Del Tomo II.—O. S. C. S. M. E. C. A. R.

Fly-title to Vol. III. Bibliotheca || Hispano-Americana || Septentrionalis. || Tomo III. || que Contiene Las Letras || R. S. T. V. U. X. Y. Z.

The title to the third volume varies from that of the second only in the date being 1821, instead of 1819. The text follows, pp. 1–366, beginning: Rabago (D. Andrés Diez), and ending with: Zurricaldai (D. Santiago), after which : Fin De La Obra.

As a specimen of the author's style and method of treating the subject, the following articles may be acceptable to the reader, particularly as one of them relates to the compiler himself.

ACAXITLI (D. Francisco) Indio Megicano, Cacique y Señor de Tlalmanalco. Escribió:

De la entrada del Virey, D. Antonio de Mendoza, en las tierras de los Chichimecas: Manuscrito que existe en el Archivo de la provincia de P. P. Franciscanos de la Provincia de Santo Evangelio de Mégico.

ACCILA (Mosen N.). Presbitero Aragones ó Valenciano, Doctor en Teologia, y residente en Megico a mediados del Siglo 17. Dió á luz un librito ascetico, intitulado Tesoro de Devociones, etc., etc.

BERISTAIN Y MARTIN DE SOUZA (Don José Mariano). Nacio en la ciudad de la Puebla de los Angeles, Provincia de Tlaxcala en la N. E. á 22 de Mayo de 1756 y vistió alli successivamente las Becas de los Colegios de S. Geronimo, de P. P. Jesuitas y de San Juan, llamado el Palafoxiano, Bachiller ya en Filosofia por la Universidad de Megico, pasó á España en la familia del Sr. Obispo de la Puebla, Fabian y Fuero, electó Arzobispo de Valencia, y en aquella escuela recibió el grado de Dr. Teologo, fue Regente de Academia de Filosofia,