extraordinary as is the charm of these relics of Anahuac and of Castille,
perhaps even more engrossing is the last article in this romantic
catalogue, namely, "a green portfolio" giving an account of the various
articles, and how they came into the hands of their proprietor. Their
pedigree, if authentic, must be most important.

Probably the most inattentive mind, even in the holidays, could "tackle"
a catalogue like this, or another in which the snuff-box of Xerxes and
the boot-jack of Themistocles should be offered for sale. These
antiquities seem scarcely less desirable, or less likely to come into the
market, than the scissors, pistols, and field-glass of Fernando Cortes.
An original portion of the Tables of the Law (broken on a familiar
occasion by the prophet), Hannibal's cigarette case, a landing net (at
one time in the possession of Alcibiades), a piece of chalk used by
Archimedes in his mathematical demonstrations, the bronze shoe of
Empedocles, the arrow on which Abaris flew, and the walking-stick, a
considerable piece of timber, which Dr. Johnson lost in Mull, may all be
reposing in some private collection. Collectors do get very odd things
together. Poor M. Soleirol had quite a gallery of portraits and
autographs of Moliere, and a French mathematician, about a dozen years
ago, possessed an assortment of apocryphal letters from almost every one
mentioned in history, sacred or profane. The collection of Mr. Samuel
Ireland was like this, and an English student possessed autographs of
most of the great reformers, carefully written by an ingenious swindler
in contemporary books. The lovers of relics are apt to be thus deluded,
and perhaps we should not regret this, as long as they are happy. But
they should be very careful indeed when they are asked to buy Alvarado's
spear, though probably it is extant somewhere, as it certainly is in the
catalogue. It is a question of caution in the purchaser.