Among them are some singularly choice and curious articles. The following is but an imperfect specimen.

No. 154. Atkyns on Printing, with the frontispiece, &c. &c.

164. G. Whetstone's Honorable Profession of a Soldier, 1586, &c. &c.

179. Life and Death of Wolsey, 1641, &c. &c. 183. Nashe's Lenten Stuffe, with the Praise of the Red Herring, 1599, &c. &c.

188. A Mornynge Remembraunce, had at the Moneth Mynde of the Noble Prynces Countesse of Richmonde, &c. Wynkyn de Worde, &c.

194. Oh! read over Dr. John Bridges, for it is a worthie Worke, &c. bl. letter, &c. &c. Strange and fearful Newes from Plasto' near Bow, in the House of one Paul Fox, a Silk Weaver, where is daily to be seene throwing of Stones, Bricbats, Oystershells, Bread, cutting his Work in Pieces, breaking his Windows, &c. No date!!! 1477. Leylande's Journey and Serche, geven of hym as a Newe Yeares Gyfte to K. Henry 8th. enlarged by Bale, bl. letter. 1549.

1480. A disclosing of the great Bull and certain Calves that he hath gotten, and especially the Monster Bull that roared at my Lord Byshop's gate. Bl. letter, pr. by Daye. No date.

THE preceding afford only a very inadequate idea of the 'pithie, pleasaunt, and profittable' discourses and tracts which abounded among the miscellaneous articles of Mr. West. Whatever be the defects of modern literature, it must be allowed that we are not quite so coarse in the title pages of our books; though it is with indignation I mention the advertisement of a modern work, in a Sunday News Paper, under a title, which I shall place in the note below *.

2. Divinity.

THIS comprehended a vast mass of information, under the following general titles. Scarce Tracts. Old and New Testaments (including almost all the first

*THE WORLD OF FASHION, with Illlustrations, Anecdotes, Scandal, Histories, and Characters. Written by Alfred Allendale, Esq. M. P. F. R. S. F. S. A. LL. D. &c. &c.

'Oh, what a world is this!'

SHAKSPEARE.

From The Observer,' April 26. To be published in three volumes, 12mo.

English editions of the New Testament, which are now of the rarest occurrence). Commentators. Ecclesiastical History. Polemics. Devotions, catholic and calvinistical. Enthusiasm. Monastical History. Lives of Saints. Fathers. Missionaries. Martyrs. Modern Divines and Persons of eminent piety. Free Thinkers. Old English Primers. Meditations. Some of the earliest Popish and Puritannical Controversy. Sermons by old English Divines, &c. In the whole, 560 articles: probably about 1200 volumes.

THESE general heads are sufficient to satisfy the bibliographer, that, with such an indefatigable collector as was Mr. West, the greater part of the theological books must have been extremely rare and curious. From so many CAXTONS, WYNKYN DE WORDES, PYNSONS, &c. it would be difficult to select a few which should give a specimen of the value of the rest. Suffice it to observe, that such a cluster of Black Letter Gems, so

this department of English literature, has never since been seen in any sale catalogue.

3. Education, Languages, Criticism, Classics, Dictionaries, Catalogues of Libraries, &c.

THERE were about 700 volumes in these departments. The catalogues of English books, from that of Maunsell, in 1595, to the latest before Mr. West's time, were very complete. The treatises on education, and translations of the ancient classics, comprehended a curious and uncommon collection. The Greek and Latin classics were rather select than rare.

4. English Poetry, Romances, and
Miscellanies.

THIS interesting part of the collection comprehended about 355 articles, or probably about 750 volumes; and if the singularly rare and curious books which may be found under these heads alone,

were now to be concentrated in one library, the owner of them might safely demand 4000 guineas for such a treasure. I make no doubt but that his MAJESTY is the fortunate possessor of almost every article under all the foregoing heads.

5. Philosophy, Mathematics, Inventions, Agriculture and Horticulture, Medicine, Cookery, Surgery, &c.

Two hundred and forty articles, or about 560 volumes.

6. Chemistry, Natural History, Astrology, Sorcery, Gigantology.

PROBABLY not more than 100 volumes. The word 'Gigantology,' first introduced by Mr. Paterson, I believe, into the English language, was used by the French more than two centuries ago. See No, 2198 in the catalogue.

7. History and Antiquities.

THIS comprehended a great number