comprises a valuable treasure of ancient and modern literature, beside a choice collection of Greek coins and medals. Would it not tend to facilitate the acquisition of learning, if Catalogues were printed of the books and manuscripts placed in the different Libraries of the Universities of Great Britain and Ireland, as well as in the other repositories of literature in the United Kingdom, on a plan similar to that which has been executed by the direction of the Governors of the Hospital and Library in Manchester founded and endowed by Humphrey Cheetham, Esquire ? * * In 1696 Dr. Comber the Dean, with the assistance of Mr. Miller the Precentor, began to arrange the books in the new library. In 1699, a complete set of the Latin classics in 8vo, cum notis variorum, was purchased; the books were properly arranged, and catalogues of them drawn up. Among those, whose contributions are recorded in a register kept for that purpose, we find the names of Cosin Bishop of Durham, of Barwick, Sudbury, Montagu, and Dampier, Deans of Durham, and of several prebendaries. The reverend Philip Fall, who held the fourth stall, presented the library with his own account of Jersey, and with a large collection of musical tracts. Many ancient Greek coins were given by Sir George Wheler, and some very curious medals and coins by Mr. Morris, rector of Aldborough in Yorkshire. Mr. Dibdin, in his late splendid 'Bibliographical Decameron,' has drawn up an account of several of the rarities of this library, MSS. and printed, including under the latter head, a specimen of Wynkyn de Worde,' even to Mr. D. himself previously unknown. It is entitled, The Rote and Myrrour Yet so Nothing can tend more to diffuse knowledge, than a free access to public libraries. many instances of abuse have occurred, that it is absolutely necessary to introduce and enforce strict regulations, to be determined by local circumstances *. It is not probable, that in the present æra of liberal improvement any undue or unreasonable restriction should be imposed: nor would there be occasion to recommend the institution of a punishment similar to that, which was enacted for the preservation of the volumes of the Vatican library by the munificent Sixtus V †. Myrrour of consolacion and confort. It is, unfortunately, imper fect. It contains, also, a most magnificent copy of the Greek Bible printed at Basil in 1545, fol., and the only 1. p. copy ever seen by Mr. D. of Polydore Virgil's History of England, 1554, fol. (III. 421-423.) The same volume contains, also, some interesting particulars relative to Bp. Cosin's love of books (Ib. 266-270.) and of Richard Bury, or rather Aungerville; referring to Surtees' very valuable County History of Durham, and to his own Bibliomania' (Ib. 229, 230.) * See Philobiblon, Cap. 19. De modo communicandi studentibus omnes libros nostros. +"Sixti V. Pont. Max. perpetuo hoc decreto de libris Vaticana Bibliothecæ conservandis, quæ infra sunt scripta hunc in modum sancta sunto, inviolatèque observentur. Nemini libros, codices, volumina hujus Vaticana Bibliothecæ ex ea auferendi extrahendi aliove asportandi, non bibliothecario, neque custodibus scribisque, neque quibusvis aliis cujusvis ordinis et dignitatis, nisi de licentia summi Rom. Pont. scriptá manu, facultas esto. Si quis secùs fecerit, Dr. Sudbury died at Durham, full of years and honours, and was buried with great funeral pomp; no fewer than thirty-three of the clergy, thirtyfour gentlemen of the county, and forty-eight gentlemen of the city of Durham, attending his obsequy*. His remains were deposited, on the third day of December, 1684, at the entrance of the choir of the cathedral, near those of Dr. William James, the sixty-fourth Bishop of Durham. On a plain stone, now removed, was engraven the following epitaph: 66 Quicquid mortale habuit heic deposuit, spe beata resurrectionis, JOHANNES SUDBURY, S. T. P. pietate, eruditione, antiquis moribus, gravitate, integritate vitæ, et sanctâ canitie verè reverendus; qui in funestissimis magna rebellionis temporibus magno animo et inconcussá in Regem fidelitate multa perpessus, regno et ecclesia Numinis favore restitutis, Prebendarius primò WEST fecerit, libros partemve aliquam abstulerit, extraxerit, clepserit rapueritque, carpserit, corruperit dolo malo, ille à fidelium communione ejectus, maledictus, anathematis vinculo colligatus esto. A quoquam præter Rom. Pont. ne absolvitor.” (Anton. Cicarella de Bibliothecâ Vaticanâ.) * An account of his funeral is inserted in Hunter's MSS. 1. No. 49. The expense of it amounted to 4791. 5s. 4d., including 17. for "the watchers with the corpse," and 291. to "the poor at the funerall.” MONASTERIENSIS, dein Decanus DUNELMENSIS factus, eo munere per annos XXII. et quod excurrit cum laude functus, decessit an. ætatis 80, salutis 1684. 66 Abi, lector, et æternitatem cogita *" He was, by purchase, the owner of an estate at Eldon in the county of Durham. This estate he bequeathed to his nephew and sole executor Mr. John Sudbury, L.L. B. and fellow of Trinity Hall, Cambridge†; who, in 1685, was particularly distinguished by James II. being the first Baronet created by that monarch. This gentleman, on the suggestion of his uncle ‡ (who appears * Willis' Cathedrals, I. 256. + In the Hymenæus Cantabrigiensis,' a collection of verses written upon the marriage of Prince George of Denmark with the Princess Anne, is a Latin poem by John Sudbury, L.L. B. Fellow of Trinity Hall. A letter from the tranquil suitor to Mr. Wilson, Registrar of the Chapter of Durham, whom the Dean had authorised to treat with the lady's father upon the subject, will fully display the state of his affections: :-" I have no particular inclinations to the lady, any more than that I thought it would be more grateful to my unkle than any other match; for had I not thought so, I should not have lost so many opportunities, which I had been invited to in other places.-I believe Sir Thomas cannot give her above 1000l. at most: or else he pretends so, because he fancies my unkle or myself are wholly bent upon it, and that is a great mistake; and if you know any other of a better fortune, a woman that you think I should like (for, I believe, our fancies to have stood in loco parentis upon the occasion) married the only daughter of Sir Thomas Exton of Doctor's Commons, Knight, and died without male issue. The Eldon property, after passing through the hands of different proprietors, was purchased by Sir John Scott; who, on his appointment in 1799 to the dignity of Lord High Chancellor, was created Baron Eldon of Eldon in the county of Durham. The Dean gave a portion, likewise, with his niece Elisabeth, sister of the above gentleman, on her marriage to William Temple, Esq. of Old Durham. An accomplished scholar and a profound divine, Dr. Sudbury was particularly conversant in Hebrew literature*, the study of which fancies are alike) pray let me know of it as soon as you can: and, if you find me ungrateful for any of your favours, then say I am not what I really am." This lady, who survived her husband, administered to his will, April 24, 1691; and re-married. Sir John appears indeed, from another letter to the same gentleman (written during the Dean's last illness) to have kept a steady eye on his own interest." I find my brother and sister lay close siege at the deanery; I suppose, in order to take possession. If my unkle should die, I hope their mother has left them a good large chest, to secure what he shall leave them!" * "Nullum, reverende domine, invenio quem tibi præferam; tibi, inquam, quem scio in Ebræorum literaturâ versatissimum esse, auctoritate apud omnes theologiæ candidatos atque amatores plurimùm pollere." (From a letter in manuscript in the Chapter-Library, addressed to Dean Sudbury by Alexander Amydeus, a Floren tine |