the Fonthill Library was a presentation copy; other large paper copies are in the Libraries of some of our principal Bibliomaniacs. Smith's Travels and Adventures in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America. Small folio. Sixty pages only. With Plates. 1630. Mr. Grenville's copy, according to Dibdin's Library Companion, p. 284, cost him 51. 5s. It was reprinted in vol. ii. of Churchill's Collection of Voyages. Braccelli (Giov. Bat.) Bizarie di Varie Figure. 8vo. oblong 1624. See The Repertorium Bibliographicum, where it is described as "A most rare and singular Book, containing Prints of human Figures formed by the strangest materials, as diamonds, hoops, bladders, pieces of carpentery, battledores, chains, culinary utensils, &c. When the correctness of the delineations, and the boldness of the attitudes, are considered-we see the hand great Master through the laughable whimsicality of his subjects.' A copy is in the Strawberry Hill Collection, and one was in the Library at Fonthill. Darcie (Abraham) Annales of the famous Empresse Elizabeth, Queene of England, &c. translated out of French. Large paper. 2 vols. 4to. Benj. Fisher. (No date.) Large paper copies differ from the small in the following particulars viz. that the date (1625) is wanting in them, whilst it is added to the small paper copies. At the back of the Print of Elizabeth are fourteen verses in colour, but in the small copies only the two last verses in common print are found. Mr. T. Grenville has a large paper copy, with the dedication to Prince Charles, in letters of gold. On the last leaf of vol, ii. is a brilliant Portrait of Darcie by Delaram, of which also impressions are to be found in the copies possessed by the Marquis of Stafford, General Dowdeswell, and in Mr. Plumer's copy, sold at Sotheby's, in 1822, for 101. 158. Cowley's (Abraham) Poetical Blossoms. With Portrait of the Author in his 13th year, by Vaughan. 4to. 16335 In Longman's Bibliotheca Ang. Poet. a copy, with the Portrait, is marked at 167.; and another, wanting the Portrait at 41. Perry's sale, 1822, 47. Cowley's Love's Riddle, a Pastoral Comedie, written at the time of his being a King's Schollar in Westminster Schoole. With Portrait. 1638. G. Nassau, Esq. 1824, 31. 108. The Works of Mr. Abraham Cowley, consisting of those which were formerly printed, and those which he designed for the press. Now published out of the Author's Original Copies. 12ma. Lond. 1691. Second Part of Ditto, including his Poetical Blossoms. Lond, 1682. This latter edition of Cowley's Works contains Dr. Sprat's "Account of the Life and Writings of Cowley, written to Mr. M. Clifford," and which is of such a character that Dr. Johnson, who places Cowley first in his " Lives," and has devoted one hundred 8vo. pages to the examination of his Works, says, that what Sprat did not tell of Cowley cannot how be known. I must, therefore," he continues, "recommend the perusal of his Work, to which my narration can be considered only as a slender supplement." Cowley's Poetical Blossoms gave early promise of future ripe fame; they were first printed at the early age of 15, and whilst he was a school boy at Westminster; three editions had been sold, and the book had become very scarce, when the fourth edition appeared, in 1682, the Town, according to the Bookseller's Advertisement, hardly affording one copy. The following Address to the reader, by Cowley himself, is exceedingly curious, both on its own account, and for the fact of fixing the age at which his early productions were written.Ệ ĐI NƯ "Reader, (I know not yet whether gentle or no,) some I know have been angry (I dare not assume the honour of their anger) at my Poetical Boldness, and blamed in mine, what commends other suits-earliness: others who are either of a weak faith or strong malice have thought me like a pipe, which never sounds but when 'tis blowed in, and read me not as Abraham Cowley, but Authorem Anonymum: To the first I answer, that it is an envious Frost which nips the blossoms because they appear quickly: to the latter, that he is the worst Homicide who strives to marther another's fame: to both, that it is a ridiculous folly to condemn or laugh at the Stars, because the Moon and Sun shine brighter. The small Fire I have is rather blown than extinguished by this Wind, For the itch of Poesie by being angered increaseth, by rubbing spreads farther; which appears in that I have ventured upon this third edition. What though it be neglected? It is not, I am sure, the first book which hath lighted Tobacco, con been employed by Cooks and Grocers. If in all mens judgments it suffer Shipwrack, it shall something content me, that it hath pleased myself and the Bookseller. In it you shall find one argument (and I hope I shall need no more) to confute unbelievers; which is, that as mine age, and consequently experience (which is yet but little) hath increased, so they have not left my Poesie flagging behind them. I should not be angry to see any one burn my Pyramus and Thisbe, nay I would do it myself, but that I hope a pardon may easily be gotten for the errors of ten years of age. My Constantia and Philetus confesseth me two years older when I writ it. The rest were made since upon several occasions, and perhaps do not bely the time of their birth. Such as they are, they were created by me, but their fate lies in your hands; it is only you can effect that neither the Bookseller repent himself of his charge in Printing them, nor I of my labour in composing them. Farewell." A. COWLEY. However unfashionable in our days Cowley may have become from the harshness and conceit of some of his compositions, there are still many who think both highly and justly of him as a Poet-he was considered by his co-temporaries as excelled by none, and King Charles II. when told of his death, declared "That Mr. Cowley had not left a better man behind him in England." I certainly think with Dr. Blair, that Cowley's Anacreontic Odes, are by far the happiest of his efforts: "they are smooth and elegant ; and, indeed, the most agreeable, and the most perfect in their kind of all Mr. Cowley's Poems."ho budy als One or two specimens of them here cannot but prove a ceptable, and will convey their own excuse for the space they occupy. J A curse on her, and on the man On him, who us'd it first in Love!! joy Gold does Friendships separate, * Gold does Civil Wars create; These the smallest harms of it! ac |