say possibly) long ago have obtained the easiest mode of reference to every printed volume in the Library. The want of it has often kept me, and others, away from the Reading Room, because, in the confused multitude of volumes over which the various Catalogues are distributed, we never could be sure whether the books we were in search of were, or were not, upon the shelves of the Institution. It is, besides, the misfortune of the British Museum that it is peculiarly deficient in works of the class to which I was anxious especially to refer. I willingly admit that this is not the fault of the present Principal Librarian: in our time the books are not to be procured, excepting at enormous prices, particularly if it be known that the British Museum is in the market. My acquaintance with the head of that establishment is necessarily very slight: I am well aware, however, of his energy, ability and acquirements; but I must say, that the longfelt want of a concise and intelligible mean of reference to the books in the British Museum (which mean he has always resisted) much counterbalanced the other advantages derived from his position, when he had the control of the Department of Printed Books. Such are my confirmed sentiments, after a life-long experience in the Library, and when, in my seventy-seventh year, I am so near the end of my laborious course, that the existing state of the Catalogues can make little difference to me.

I have reason to know that, nearly twenty years since, I injured my own prospects by the part I took upon this subject; because, if I were correctly informed, the Commissioners had at one time a design to separate the Printed Book Department into two portions-English and Foreign. If this reasonable plan had been carried out, and I had accommodated myself to the views of those who were for a manuscript Catalogue in five or six hundred huge folio

volumes, I might, with the assistance of the Earl of Ellesmere, as head of the Commission, and of the Duke of Devonshire, as one of the Trustees, have had a chance of filling the appointment which would thus have been created. I am now, of course, too old for any such duties, but the Trustees, after the close of the inquiry, did appoint a new and a most valuable officer in another overgrown department: all I wish now to do is to record, before I die, my ancient conviction in favour of the scheme I advocated in my two days' evidence before the Commissioners, by whom, I fear, I was considered a very obstructive Secretary.

For the reasons stated, I have obtained few of my materials from the British Museum, while from the Bodleian Library, where the books are instantly accessible, and the catalogue complete, I have from time to time derived important assistance: the head of that establishment and the other learned curators were never weary of giving me their readiest aid. My chief reliance, however, has been upon my own industry and vigilance, willingly encouraged, even from my outset, by the liberality of private individuals, who had fine collections of rare books, from the days of Sir Francis Freeling and Mr. Perry down to the later acquisitions of Mr. Heber and Mr. Miller. To collectors of a later period I have seldom been indebted; but I may mention the name of one bookseller who was always glad to contribute to my purpose-the late Thomas Rodd, a man as celebrated for his knowledge of books as for his fairness. in dealing with them. Many and many a literary rarity has he purchased, for my use and advantage, sometimes at my instance; and as the price of such commodities. has been gradually rising during the whole of the present century, neither he nor I ever had to regret the dearness of our bargains. He was of a good family, but accidentally reduced, and my father and his father were at the same

public school; they afterwards met in Spain, and it was in the year 1804, or 1805, that my father first took me to the old book-shop then kept by his worthy, though less fortunate school-fellow. This was, in fact, my introduction. to the early literature of our country; and it was, not many years afterwards, that I purchased my first old English book of any real value, Wilson's "Logic." Long subsequently I bought hundreds of other books from and through Rodd; but, as I never was rich enough to collect, and keep, what may be called a library, he sold them again, and very seldom at a loss.

Readers may imagine that I have obtained much information from such works as Censura Literaria, "The British Bibliographer," or Restituta, to say nothing of smaller productions of a similar character. This is a mistake: I have never referred to them without acknowledgment; but it will be found in the twelve hundred pages that follow this preface that, excepting for the sake of illustration or for the correction of some important error, I have never criticised, or I may almost say, quoted a single volume noticed by others. It was generally enough to induce me to lay an old book aside to find that it had already passed through the hands of Brydges, Park, or Haslewood. To the taste and learning of the first I bear willing testimony: the second possessed knowledge, but without much discrimination; and the third was a man remarkable for his diligence, but remarkable also for the narrowness of his views, for his total want of judgment, and for the paucity of his information.

I can assert, without the chance of contradiction, that there is no one book, the merits or peculiarities of which are discussed in these volumes, that has not passed through my own hands and been carefully read by my own eyes: there is no extract, no line, that has not been copied by my own

pen; and although I cannot for an instant suppose that I have altogether avoided mistakes, I hope that I have made as few as possible: in a case of this sort, where hundreds of names occur, and thousands of dates are given, errors must inevitably have crept in; but I am aware of none, whether relating to books or their authors, that I have not set right in the "Additions, Notes and Corrections," placed at the beginning of my book, as it were to solicit the indulgence of the reader in the outset. Even if this work be found to deserve reprinting, I can hardly hope to live to superintend a revised edition of it.

It may be necessary to add, that I have purposely avoided Old English Dramas and Plays, because they form so distinct a subject, that they ought to be separately treated. I have by me many details regarding the plots, characters, poetry and appliances of performances of this description, from the remotest dates, some of them relating to productions hitherto unrecorded; and if time, opportunity and eyesight should unexpectedly and graciously be allowed me, it will much add to my happiness to be able hereafter to put them into shape for publication. Dum spiro spero.

J. P. C.

Maidenhead, 14th April, 1865.

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL

CATALOGUE

OF

EARLY ENGLISH LITERATURE.

ABBOT, GEORGE.-A Sermon preached at Westminster, May 26, 1608, at the Funerall Solemnities of the Right Honorable Thomas Earle of Dorset, late High Treasurer of England. By George Abbot, Doctor of Divinitie and Deane of Winchester, one of his Lordships Chapleines, &c. -London: Printed by Melchisedech Bradwood for William Aspley. 1608. 8vo. 18 leaves.

This production, although upon the death of a man of the highest distinction as a Poet and Statesman, has sometimes been omitted in the list of the works of Archbishop Abbot. It has, of course, been mentioned, but we notice the sermon in some detail from the only copy we ever saw sold (there is one in the Bodleian Library and another at Cambridge), chiefly on account of the biographical matter it contains. The text is from Isaiah xl. v. 6, 7; and after various moral observations and illustrations, of no great originality, the preacher proceeds to Lord Dorset's character in these terms :—

"Her Majestie (Q. Eliz.), not long before her death, being pleased, as it seemeth, with some speciall piece of service, which his Lordship had done unto her, grew at large to discourse touching this nobleman, as an honorable person, and a Counsellor of Estate, in writing hath advertised me. Her Highnesse was then pleased to decipher out his life by seven steps or degrees. The first was his yoonger daies, the time of his scholarship, when first in that famous Universitie of Oxford, and afterward in the Temple (where he took the degree of Barrister) he gave tokens of such pregnancie, such studiousnesse and judgement, that he was held no way inferiour to any of his time or standing. And of this there remain good tokens both in English and Latine published unto the world. The second was his travell, when being in France and Italy he profited very much in the languages in matter of story and state (whereof this Common-wealth found great benefit in his Lordship's elder yeares in the deepest consultations that belonged unto this kingdome). And being prisoner in Rome for the space of fourteene daies (which trouble was brought upon him by some who hated him for his love to religion, and his dutie to his Soveraigne) he so prudently bare himselfe that, by the blessing of God, and his temperate kind of

B