Handful of Fragrant Flowers," and "The Handful of Dainty Delights,
gathered out of the lovely Garden of Sacred Scripture, fit for any
worshipful Gentlewoman to smell unto," (1584). "The Teares of
Ireland" (1642), are said, though one would not expect it, to be
"extremely rare," and, therefore, precious. But there is no end to
the list of such desirable rarities. If we add to them all books
coveted as early editions, and, therefore, as relics of great
writers, Bunyan, Shakespeare, Milton, Sterne, Walton, and the rest,
we might easily fill a book with remarks on this topic alone. The
collection of such editions is the most respectable, the most
useful, and, alas, the most expensive of the amateur's pursuits. It
is curious enough that the early editions of Swift, Scott, and
Byron, are little sought for, if not wholly neglected; while early
copies of Shelley, Tennyson, and Keats, have a great price set on
their heads. The quartoes of Shakespeare, like first editions of
Racine, are out of the reach of any but very opulent purchasers, or
unusually lucky, fortunate book-hunters. Before leaving the topic
of books which derive their value from the taste and fantasy of
collectors, it must be remarked that, in this matter, the fashion of
the world changes. Dr. Dibdin lamented, seventy years ago, the
waning respect paid to certain editions of the classics. He would
find that things have become worse now, and modern German editions,
on execrable paper, have supplanted his old favourites. Fifty years
ago, M. Brunet expressed his contempt for the designs of Boucher;
now they are at the top of the fashion. The study of old
booksellers' catalogues is full of instruction as to the changes of
caprice. The collection of Dr. Rawlinson was sold in 1756. "The
Vision of Pierce Plowman" (1561), and the "Creede of Pierce Plowman"
(1553), brought between them no more than three shillings and
sixpence. Eleven shillings were paid for the "Boke of Chivalrie" by