huzza'd out aloud, and threw up his hat for joy that he had bought it so cheap."

"July 21, 1722, This day it pleased the most illustrious and high-born lady, the Lady Henrietta Cavendish Holles Harley *, to add to her former bounties to me, particularly to a large silver tea-pot formerly given to me by her noble Ladyship; by sending hither (to this library) her silversmith with a fine and large silver tea-kettle, lamp and plate, and a neat wooden stand, all of her Ladyship's free gift; for which great honour, as in all duty and gratitude bound, I shall never cease from praying Almighty God to bless her and all this noble family with all blessings temporal and eternal."

Sept. 1, 1722, Mr. Bowyer [Jonah the bookseller] gave a small number of original and other papers."

Sept. 4, 1722. Yesterday my Lord sent in the MS. of Fordon; which had been lent to Mr. Hearne of Oxford, the 20 November, 1720."

What a good chapman Mr. Wanley was may be learned from

"23 Oct. 1722. Mr. Gibson called upon me at my new dinner-time, and discoursed with me a great while upon the present state of the trade of buying old books and manuscripts in Tuscany; many of which, by the means of him and others, are happily reposed in this Library. He mentioned the fine Greek MS. of Plato's Work, which is not yet bought, he says; but will come dear. He also mentioned the MS Hebrew Bible written in the largest characters, in five grand folios; and after much arguing and fencing about it, saying that the Compilers of our Polyglott offer'd one thousand Roman ducats for it, and were rejected; and that the present Abbat says he will not take less now, than has been so long ago bidden for it; and I still holding off, as I have long done with relation to this

* His noble patron's wife, and mother to the late duchess dowager of Portland.

book;

book; he turned about, and said that he was very desirous of serving my Lord with relation to this Bible, which is one of the most antient as well as the finest copie in the world; and that therefore, if my Lord is willing to have it, he will endeavour to procure it, and be no gainer; and then asked me if my Lord will allow 500 Roman ducats, or 100l. sterling, for the whole five volumes, in case the Abbat can be beaten down so low? I demurred hereupon; and advised him to address himself to his Lordship. He farther said, that the Abbat above mentioned keeps a copie of the Four Gospels in Greek, in a fine case, fancying it to be very old and very valuable, and has hitherto refused to part with it."

The Second Volume of Humfrey Wanley's Diary is marked N° 808 in Lord Lansdowne's Library.

"3 May, 1723. Mr. Bogdani came, and brought me a copy of the Lord's Prayer in the Valachian language and character, dissonant from one which I formerly had of him. To this which he now brought, is added the Lord's Prayer in the Zingarian, as he calls it; of which he gave me this short account. That upon the Turks conquering Egypt, great numbers of the natives or inhabitants fled away; and many of these settled in Transylvania, and are called Ægyptians or Gypsies to this day. That they speak their own language to one another; and are a distinct people by themselves; but having no peculiar character, write or use the character of that country wherein they inhabit."

"August 4, 1725, Mr. Pope came; and I shewed him but few things, it being late.'

Sept. 11, 1725, The last night, being in company with Mr. Moses Williams, he told me, that he had that day seen, in the hands of young Mr. Bowyer, a small parcel of MSS. which were to be sold. Hereupon I went to Mr. Bowyer this day, and bought them for my Lord in his absence; they will be all marked with the date of this day. These

books

books [seven in number*] formerly belonged to the Rev. and learned Mr. Ambrose Bonwicke, deceased, who was formerly head-master of the Merchant Taylors school in London.”

"4 November, 1725, Mr. Casley came to collate my Lord's MSS. of Titus Livius for Mr. D'Orville, by my Lord's order. I am civil to him; but when just now he offered me a South Sea bond as security to let him carry one of the said MSS. home, to collate it there, I would by no means hearken to such a proposal.”

This Diary, which relates entirely to the concerns of Lord Oxford's library, ends "23 June, 1726."

"Jan. 31, 1725-6, Young Mr. Lintot the bookseller came enquiring after arms, as belonging to his father, mother, and other relations, who now, it seems, want to turn gentlefolks. I could find none of their names."

"Feb. 9, 1725-6, Went to Mr. Bridges's chambers, but could not see the three fine MSS. again, the Doctor his brother having locked them up. He openly bid for his own books, merely to enhance their price; and the auction proves to be, what I thought it would become, very knavish."

Mr. Browne Willis came, wanting to peruse one of Holmes's MSS. marked L, and did so; and also L2, L3, and L4, without finding what, he expected. He would have explained to me his design in his intended book about our Cathedrals but I said I was about my Lord's necessary business, and had not leisure to spend upon any matter foreign to that. He wanted the liberty to look over Holmes's MSS. and indeed over all this library, that he might collect materials for amending his former books, and putting forth new ones. I signified to him that it would be too great a work; and that I, having business appointed ine by my

For which Lord Oxford paid seven guinces. † Son of old Bernard; see p. 81

On this subject sie under the year 1793.

Lord,

Lord, which required much dispatch, could not in such a case attend upon him. He would have teazed me here this whole afternoon, but I would not suffer him. At length he departed in great anger, and I hope to be rid of him." Dec. 13, 1725. "Feb. 11, 1725-6, Yesterday at five I met Mr. Noel, and tarried long with him. We settled then the whole affair touching his bidding for my Lord at the roguish auction of Mr. Bridges's books. The Reverend Doctor, one of the brothers, hath already displayed himself so remarkably, as to be both hated and despised: and a combination among the Booksellers will soon be against him and his brotherin-law, a Lawyer. These are men of the keenest avarice; and their very looks (according to what I am told) dart out harping-irons. I have ordered Mr. Noel to drop every article in my Lord's commission when they shall be hoisted up to too high a price. Yet I desired that my Lord may have the Russian Bible, which I know full well to be a very rare and a very good book, &c.

"March 25, 1726, Young Mr. Bowyer the printer came, and saw many fine things here."

The following letters from Humphrey Wanley have been kindly communicated by Mr. Henry Ellis from Mr. Bagford's Collections in the British Museum *. Oxford [about 1696].

"Pray buy me The Political Will and Testament of Cardinal Richelieu, in Two Parts, Lond. 1695, and send it with an old book Mr. Bagford promised to send me, but did not, which he said was printed an. 1440. Tell Mr. Bagford that the old Nurenburgh Latin Bible ann. 1474, was copied from the Roman one with Lyra's Gloss. of 1472, of which I certified him heretofore; and tell him that the famous Epistle in those Bibles is in this of Nurenburgh in the Public Library, which has a pretty date. And bid him remember that many Booksellers and Printers of Paris were journeymen to ours at London, as appears by many books."

*Harl. MS. 4965.

MR.

"MR. BAGFORD,

Univ. College, Sept. 21, 1697. "I sent you word some time since that I received the parcel you sent me within a fortnight after you went hence. I expected the age of each specimen of paper, but I believe you forgot it. If you give me orders, I will send you as good an account of the age of your shreds of parchment as I can, with another shred or two along with them. The shred of Greek is not in capital letters as you thought, but only some late writing in a big hand. Our Master desires you to remember the seal.

"I have run over Boxhornius, and there I find he stands stifly for Harlaem against Bernardus Mallincrotius, who is for Mentz. He quotes many authors, especially Hadrianus Junius, and tells you that the book of Laurence Coster's in wooden types, now to be seen at Harlaem, is called Speculum Salutis. One notable thing in this book is an epistle which you may find before the 5th part of Nic. de Lyra's Bibles printed at Rome 1472, directed to Pope Xystus the Fourth, which gives an account of the bringing of Printing into Italy by Conrade Sweynhem and Arnold Pannarts, with a Catalogue of what books they printed, and how many copies at each impression.

"Not long after the French practised the art at Parma in Italy, as you may see by this date I copied at Christ Church library, Q. 2. 11.

Caij Plynij Secundi Naturalis Historiæ libri tricesimi septimi et ultimi finis impressi Parmæ ductu et impensis mei Stephani Coralli Lugdunensis M.CCCC.LXXVI. Regnante invictissimo Principe Galeaceo Maria Mediolani Duce quinto.'

"As for old books, besides the Bishop of Norwich's Januensis, printed anno 1460, you may find in Patin's Travels, Durandi Rationale, printed an. 1459, which he says is now in the Public Library of Basil in Switzerland. And if you read Lambecius his Catalogue of the Emperor of Germany's MSS. Lib. II. pag. 989, he will tell you of a Psalter which he found at Inspruck in the Archiducal

library