able extent, had undergone the revision of my Noble Patron; but on second consideration it was thought

original state, and in the mean time the possessor of them died. His heirs reaped so little emolument, that although the bindings, ornaments, and illuminations, &c., had cost little short of 100,000 livres (so De Thou told me himself), the books were absolutely sold for little more than one-third part of that sum. I bought some of them at the public sale, and consider them as the greatest ornaments of my library." How, therefore, can we reconcile this statement with the purchase of the library by the PRESIDENT MENARS?

Perhaps the noblest specimens in the world of what are called DE THOU BOOKS, are the Polyglot Bible of Plantin, at Althorp, and the Poetæ Græci of H. Stephen, 1566, folio, at Paris. The latter has been briefly, but warmly noticed in the Tour; the former merits a more expanded description than what appears in the Ædes, and is here subjoined as a specimen of the execution of any of the articles in the List above alluded to.

"This wonderful set is upon LARGE PAPER; with the exception of the three last volumes, which probably were never printed of the same size, or they would have unquestionably found their way into the library of DE THOU. The sacred text is complete in the first five volumes, upon large paper. To say that this is the finest copy of any work which belonged to its first illustrious owner, is to say little or nothing which can convey an idea of the extraordinary beauty of the types, press-work, and paper. Yet the form is perhaps a little whimsical, it being evidently too broad for its length. The praises bestowed upon Plantin, in the fourth page of Montanus, 'preface to the reader,' are only what that incomparable printer merited. De Bure confines his description of this edition to the last three volumes; but it may be as well to know, that after the half title of the first volume, three copperplate embellishments (of which the first is the general title) ensue, and that the title to the commencement of the Pentateuch is cut in wood. The two prefaces of Montanus are followed by three royal licenses or admonitions, preceding the Pentateuch title. It is also surprising that De Bure mentions no copy of it upon vellum, or upon large paper. Brunet notices the vellum copy formerly in the royal library of France, now restored; but says nothing respecting large paper. Is the present the only known copy of this latter description? For an account of another vellum copy, consult the Bibliog. Decameron, vol. ii. P. 154."

But resort, gentle reader, to No. 81, Pall Mall-and as seeing is

advisable to withhold them-both on account of their probable want of general interest, and of expanding the volume to an unnecessary size. At length, on the first of April, 1822, I put a finishing hand to the preface; and, ere the expiration of that month, THE WORK APPEARED.

Our

However, I look back upon the pleasures and gratifications which, for twenty-two succeeding years, I have derived from my visits at ALTHORP, without more than a common sigh at the changes which have marked the lapse of that time :—and more especially at those from the last visit to the present moment. Mortality is the destiny of man. meetings are short: our separations are long. I think upon those "ATTIC NIGHTS "of Christmas meeting and Christmas merriment to which an allusion has been made in a preceding note*, and ask myself whether the deceased, or the survivors of these attic nights, be the greater number? I scarcely know how to respond to the question. I well call to mind my own "Reminiscences" of these Christmas symposia. Beauty, wit, taste, goodness, on one side— learning, science, art, eloquence, public distinction, on the other—and rank in both. In more ancient times, here was Reynolds, and Garrick, and Gibbon,

believing," contemplate the copy UPON VELLUM—in the rich binding of Charles Lewis-and wonder how this copy has not been pounced upon by the Standishes and Botfields of the day!

* See page 238, ante.

and Major Rennell, and Sir William Jones; in later times, the Right Hon. T. Grenville; Drs. Burney and Elmsly; Bishops Blomfield and Copleston; Mackintosh, Tierney, Davy, Wollaston, Buckland, and more whom I may not name. How the hours of evening used to fly swiftly away, while the blast was howling, or the snow was falling heavily, without!

But in this galaxy of intellectual splendour, let me not omit the notice of ONE, of a meek spirit, of peculiar habits, of deep learning...a foreigner, long domiciled in this Noble Family... with whom I was wont to have much familiar and pleasing discourse. MR. OCHEDA *, like the greater number of those just

* On rising from table, after dinner, it was almost my constant practice to resort to the "Raffaelle Library" for the purpose of half an hour's agreeable chat with the above worthy gentleman. I used to draw him insensibly into a long discourse, and copious off-hand quotations from Lucretius and Virgil. Mr. Ocheda's memory was great. I used ordinarily to find him close to a lamp, with one of the "FATHERS" before him. He had read them ALL twice through. His reading was prodigious; but I do not think that his intellectual receiver digested the enormous quantity of food introduced into it. He read walking, sitting, and standing. He was a native of Tortona, and his recitations of the Italian. poets-especially of Dante and Tasso-were beautifully impressive. He loved the English School of metaphysics, but suffered himself to be ensnared in the subtleties of Hume, or bewildered in the vagaries of Hartley. When Gibbon was in the habit of visiting Althorp, Mr. Ocheda (as he told me) would now and then have a resolute intellectual conflict with him; but he was fighting with a giant in his way-whose grasp would sometimes shake him to pieces. The conversation was always carried on in the French language. He, Mr. Ocheda, had amassed a pretty income during his domicile with Lord Spencer-upon

Q Q

mentioned*, is now beyond the reach of this frank and honest tribute of respect. We once had some skirmishes together, relating to the B. S.-but these very slight, and were therefore easily forgotten. I now consider him only in the light of an intelligent and amiable person-and I throw this floweret upon his tomb ("servet sepulchro!") in the perfect spirit of Christian sincerity and benevolence. And thus, FAREWELL TO ALTHORP!

which he retired to Italy to die in his native province. I subjoin a facsimile of his autograph-from one of the only two notes, or letters, which I ever received from him.

J. De Ocheda

* Of "those just mentioned," let me be allowed to observe of Dr. Elmsly-one, especially qualified by deep learning, and great experience of foreign libraries-that, speaking of the library at Althorp, I heard him more than once remark, that, " even at Paris he could not get the books he found there upon ordinary subjects of science and philology."

595

CHAPTER X.

PUBLICATIONS CONTINUED.

velut unda superveni tundam;
as in a rolling flood,

Wave urges wave. . . .

FRANCIS'S HORACE.

SUCH frequent mention has been made of the BIBLIOGRAPHICAL DECAMERON, and the BIBLIOGRAPHICAL TOUR UPON the CONTINENT, that not only in the order of time, but with a view to give the reader some notion of these two opposite, but equally splendid, publications, I sit down to the Office of Chronicler of my own deeds; interspersed with collateral, but not extraneous intelligence of a yet more interesting nature. I look upon the whole period of the conception, concoction, and publication of the Decameron as the sunniest period of my life. I scarcely know how its precise plan originated; but the sale of the Valdarfer Boccaccio* seemed to have decameronised every thing else. I thought if I could bring together a few ladies and gentlemen of a less equivocal character than those introduced by "Il Maestro Joanne Boccaccio"-and make them

*See page 360, ante.