These carcases, I say, are grown Their marrow's lost, their nurture 's gone, That there the ghost, drawn up from hell's 2d Hag. But from this field of slaughter I As dead men's limbs wet in the rain, And speak a charm that may affright The 3d Hag, with a carcase. 3d Hag. By Creon's trembling watch I bore This new slain carcase; but before I brought him here, I grip'd him round. The fillets of his lungs are sound, His vitals all are strong and whole Creon. You wise interpreters of Fate, that look 3d Hag. With just contempt down on that small allowance You have your wish. This carcase shall relate it;-do not fear To hear him speak. What herbs have you prepar'd? 1st Hag. I here have gather'd, all in one, The poisonous jelly of the moon, Mixt with sulphur of the night, Lizard's bane and aconite, Dew gather'd ere the morn arose, From night-shade, henbane, cypress-boughs; 'Mongst living creatures I have sought, That when the ocean ebbs are found. It is observable how little the imagination of later poets has been able to add to the exuberant and grotesque display of magical ingredients, which the rich fancy of Shakspeare accumulated; and how difficult it is to invent new forms or combinations of images, when nature and the materials of ordinary life are no longer our guide. Book Sales. THE LIBRARY OF THOMAS CALDECOTT, ESQ. BENCHER OF THE MIDDLE TEMPLE. J. M. THE Bibliomania is alive again. The drowsy are beginning to shake off their sleep; the torpid to stretch their limbs; and the frigid to feel a warm glow affecting their very extremities. "The hunt is up," and the sovereigns are down-upon the auctioneer's table. Caxton, Wynken de Worde, and the minor fry of John Skot, Pepwell and Co. are fast quitting their chrysalis state, expanding their golden wings, and dazzling the cognoscenti by the coruscation of their movements. All was bustle and animation in Wellington-street from the 2d to the 7th of December inclusively, by the sale of the library of the above Octogenarian, the last of the old breed of Shakespeare-commentators of the school of Johnson and Steevens; † and yet, midst all the bijouterie of the limited library which Mr. Caldecott left behind him, not an early quarto of. Shakespeare was to be found. The owner of the collection had bequeathed them to the Bodleian Library. Sold by auction by Mr. Sotheby and Son, Wellington-street, Strand, Dec. 2, 1833, and five following days. + Mr. Caldecott began to collect old English literature at an early period of his life, and became the possessor of many curious books which had been the property of William Herbert, the editor of the "Typographical Antiquities," and which he obtained from Vandeberg, an obscure bookseller near St. Margaret's church, West-. minster. From that person also he purchased, for 48. and 58. each, the first editions of Shakespeare's "Venus and Adonis," 1594, Lucrece," 1594, and the Sonnets, 1609, which, bound in one volume, he has bequeathed to the Bodleian Library. Mr. Caldecott much enriched his collection from the libraries of James West, Thomas Pearson, Dr. Farmer, George Steevens, &c. and was for many years, under a feigned name, a frequent purchaser at sales, of much that was rare and curious. Of late years Mr. Caldecott rarely made his appearance in the auction-room. His figure and manner were at once striking. Extreme shortness of vision induced him always to carry a glass, which, in the studied absence of spectacles, was placed close to the eye. His head was slightly bent on one side during the use of this glass; and he seemed to be as lively and intent upon "men and things" before him as the youngest in the room. His critical epithets upon the old school of the Shakespearecommentators, were unsparing and vituperative; especially upon Steevens and Malone, denoting the former to be" an ass," and the latter "a fool." At length came out the nonpareil specimen of his own Shakespeare, in a volume comprising "As you like it," and "Hamlet." This labour of nearly half a century's meditation, no sooner made its appearance, than the mouse was recognized as the result of the mountain throes; and the parent was never induced to add to his still-born offspring. Mr. Caldecott's death is recorded in the Gentleman's Magazine for June last, p. 573. The Catalogue, the united workmanship of Father and Son, was "dressed" in a suit of the best superfine. It was neither stinted by parsimonious detail, nor distended by needless amplification. The more sparkling gems were well set. The bidders, although comparatively few, were of eager look-out, ready grasp, and keen appetite; and they were satisfied to their heart's content. Since the good old times of the Roxburghe, Stanley, and Marlborough sales (for those of Sykes and Hibbert were of more recent occurrence), there had not been seen such a sprinkling of slim and racy quartos in the genuine black-letter attire; some few of them perhaps unique. One of the cheapest volumes of the whole collection was that of Cutwode's Caltha Poetarum, or the Bumble Bee, 1599, 4to., which was sold for only 81. 5s. and which was borrowed of its owner, by the late Mr. Heber, to be re-printed by the latter as his offering to the Roxburghe Club. But, as it is our object to preserve as complete a record as possible of the literary curiosities which made their appearance upon this occasion, we shall enumerate the more remarkable articles as they occurred in the Catalogue. Date. 1633. The Battailes of Crescey and Poictiers, a poem by Charles Aleyn 1651. Nympha Libethris, or the Cotswold Muse. By Clement Barksdale 1608. A Nest of Ninnies. By Robert Armin 1594. Questions, &c. talked of by two old Seniors, under an oake in Kenilworth Parke. By O. B. 1585. Orpheus his Journey to Hell. By R. B. A Poem in six-line stanzas 1549. Canticles, or Balades of Solomon, phrase lyke declared in English metres. Imprinted by William Baldwin L.8. 1 14 3 9 0 d. 2000 2 1 4 14 6 8 0 1575. Last part of the Mirour of Magistrates. By Wm. Baldwin "An exceedingly rare poem, written by a Roman Catholic, and evidently printed for 3 39 1594. The Shadow of Night. By George Chapman 1618. Muses' Welcome to King James in Scotland, fol. 1532. Workes of Jeffrey Chaucer. First edition 1662. Poems of Sir Aston Cokain 1657. Poems, being a Fardie of Fancies, &c. by Hugh Crompton 1621. Poems, or a Poeticall Rapsodie, by F. Davison n. d. Poemes Lyrick and Pastorall: Odes, Eclogs, the Man in the Moone. An edition unknown to Ritson, Warton, &c. but supposed to have been printed about 1605 1555. Letter sent in to Scotlande of the arivall of Phillippe, Prynce of Spaine. (See Dibdin's Ames, vol. iii. p. 525) 1587. The Song of Songs, that is, the most excellent song which was Solomons, translated out of the Hebrue into English meeter. By Dudley Fenner. Printed at Middleburgh by Richard Schilders 1636. A Fig for Fortune, a poem by Anthony Copley 1564. Letters of Saints and Martyrs. By Myles Coverdale Date. 1625. Belgiaes Troubles and Triumphs. A poem, by Wm. Crosse n. d. Dicta Sapientu. The Sayenges of the Wyse me of Greece in Latin 1579. The First Parte of the Eyghth liberall science, entituled Ars Adulandi, The Arte of Flatterie. By Vlpian Fulwell. Interspersed with poetry and sonnets 1575. Poesies of George Gascoigne. Comedie, by the same, 1575; 1601. Ciceronis Amor, Tullies Loue. 1616. Another edition of the same £. s. d. 2.19 211 O 3 12 0 1 17 0 0 14 0 Glass of Government, a Tragicall 1611. Never too late, two parts, by the same 1616. Another edition 1616. Arcadia, by the same 1616. Mourning Garment at the funerals of Love. By the same 1617. Farewell to Follie, by the same 1617. Alcida, Greenes Metamorphosis 1620. A Quip for an upstart Courtier, by the same (1647.) Poems by George Daniel, a manuscript* 1554. De Confessione Amantis, by Gower 3 9 0 1634. Evphves his Censvre to Philavtvs, by the same 1664. Love's Kingdom, a Pastoral Trage-Comedy, by Richard Flecknoe 1591. Of the Russe Common Wealth, by Giles Fletcher n. d. Discourse of great Crueltie of a Widow towards a young Gentleman, 1579. Ephemerides of Phialo, by Stephen Gosson (To be continued.) This author does not appear to have been known to any of the writers on the English poets. On page 1, are two portraits (in oil colours), representing the author, George Daniel, aged 30, and his brother Thomas, aged 29. On p. 3 occurs a title, being "Poems written upon Severall Occasions, apud Beswicke, 1646." On p. 5 is another portrait of the author at the age of 29. On p. 14 are autograph commendatory metrical lines on the Poems, by Thomas Crompton (who was a Colonel in the army, and kinsman of Hugh Crompton the poet); the small poems then commence, ending on leaf 79, followed by "Vervicensis, a poem" (in octavo stanza), and numerous other "Scattered Fancies." On leaf 213 occurs a painting, representing the author's retirement in a wood, followed, on leaf 214, by HOAŸAÓгIA," or Severall Ecloges, the first revived from some papers formerlie written 1638, the rest written 1648, apud Brantingham." At the end of these occurs, in p. 258, a letter from the author to his brother, dated Beswick, 1651, followed by "Ecclesiasticus" paraphrased, wherein, on p. 290, the author is, at the age of 32, again represented. On p. 312 commence, in six-line stanzas, "The Severall Raigns of Richard the Second, Henry the Fourth, and Henry the Fifth." Prefixed to which is a frontispiece, representing a naked female in a wood, Idyllia. Small poems then conclude the volume." "Interesting from having been the author's own copy, and being illustrated with numerous additions and notes in his own hand. It is fully described in Herbert's Ames, vol. ii. p. 1258. Among the MS. additions is, on the back of the title, "An Epigram of the booke hanging in cheyns, to y Ladyes ;" and on the title-page is written" Seen and disallowed." It is well known that the book, not without reason, gave great offence to Queen Elizabeth. MR. HEBER'S LIBRARY. A few words will be expected from us relative to the approaching sale of the wonderful Library of the late Richard Heber, Esq. of Hodnet Hall, near Shrewsbury. We say "approaching sale," without pretending to be informed of the exact period when even any portion of it is likely to be brought under. the public eye. Mountains are not hewn into pieces like hillocks, and granite is necessarily of slower operation in its fracture than limestone. Whatever hands are employed upon this work, are likely to be long and laboriously employed; nor will they, it is to be hoped, be employed in vain. The public will naturally anticipate a prosperous result,-prosperous alike for the cause of Bibliography and the interests of the relations of the deceased. It is no common cause which here calls for a union of patience, toil, skill, taste, and judgment, such as have never been before exercised upon materials of similar extent and value. For the honour of philology, and the imperishable bookfame of the late owner of the Library, we sincerely hope that the Catalogue will be a classed one, and that every book will have its separate lot. PRIVATELY PRINTED BOOKS. A Bibliographical Catalogue of Works Privately Printed; including those of the Roxburghe, Bannatyne, and Maitland Clubs, and the productions of the Private Presses at Strawberry Hill, Auchinleck, Darlington, Lee Priory, Newcastleupon-Tyne, and Broadway. By John Martin, F.L.S. 8vo. THIS portion of bibliography is peculiarly interesting to collectors of book rarities, and at the same time is not altogether unimportant either as it respects the history of literature or the other branches of knowledge which are occasionally illustrated by Privately printed Books. Some valuable historical notices, and many biographical sketches, as well as topographical collections and genealogical history, have not unfrequently been saved from destruction by the means of the private printing press, however small the number of copies that have come into circulation. Dr. Johnson, that great advocate of public usefulness, has enlarged upon the advantages of preserving these rare tracts in his Essay on the origin and importance of Fugitive Pieces; and a perusal of Mr. Martin's Catalogue, which has been compiled with infinite. labour and research, will afford ample proof of the justice of his remarks. The difficulty of procuring notices of rare books is sufficiently obvious, and the author was doomed to encounter another perplexity; in the early part of his Catalogue, in particular, he found it "Not easy to ascertain whether many of the works which are called privately printed, are strictly entitled to that distinction. The absence of a publisher's name is by no means a certain indication; many of the volumes were written on points of religious or political controversy, and were naturally put forth in a manner that might not draw down the arm of the law upon the printer; but that they were distributed secretly, and might be purchased, there can be little doubt. Many were imported from abroad, and a list of them may be seen in Strype's Life of Archbishop Parker, vol. ii. pp. 244-5. These bearing no place or publisher's name are frequently designated as privately printed, an erroneous conclusion, as it was simply from fear of prosecution that these marks are found wanting."—P. 1. The Catalogue comprises, in the first place, about 800 articles from the time of Queen Elizabeth to the present period, in chronological order, pp. 1 to 314. These are, strictly speaking, unpublished works; but amongst the books printed at private presses and for distribution amongst the members of literary clubs, the subject of the second part of the Catalogue, are included many that were published for sale. Of some of the most scarce volumes Mr. Martin has given a condensed, but faithful analysis. It is true that works of exalted genius cannot be expected to exist among the unpublished; but there are no books upon which more attention and greater expence have been occasionally bestowed. "The Engravings, &c. of the principal Statues, Busts, &c. in the collection of Henry Blundell, Esq. at Ince," 2 vols. folio, 1809, (described in p. 116,) and the "Museum Worsleyanum," 2 vols. folio, 1794, (in p. 80,) are amongst the most splendid books ever produced. Of this character also is |