PART III. A NOTICE OF THE PRINCIPAL WORKS, EXTANT ON LITERARY HISTORY IN GENERAL, AND ON BIBLIOGRAPHY IN PARTICULAR. CHAPTER I.-LITERARY HISTORY. SECTION I. LITERARY HISTORY, IN GENERAL. § 1. Dictionaries of Literary History. HOFFMANN. Joannis Jacobi Hoffmanni Lexicon Universale Historicum. Lug. Bat. 1698, 4 vols. fol Hoffmann was one of the most laborious compilers of the 17th century: notwithstanding his Lexicon is, in a great degree, superseded by more recent publications, is not unworthy of a place in a large library. Morhof says of Hoffman, that he absorbed every thing like a whirlpool. Polyhist. tom. iii. 1. 4. § 2. MORERI.-Le grand Dictionnaire historique, on Melange curieuse de l'Histoire sacrée et profane, pár Louis Moreri. Nouvelle edition dans laquelle on a refondu les supplemens de l'abbé Gouget; revue et augmentée par Drouet. Paris, 1759, 10 vols. fol. The best edition (the 20th) of a very useful work, which originally appeared at Lyons in 1674, in one volume folio. BAYLE.-Dictionnaire Historique et Critique par Pierre Bayle. Rotterdam, 1720, 4 vols. folio. This is the best edition of Bayle's great work: it was revised, corrected, and enlarged by Prosper Marchand, and is in much request. The purchaser of this edition should attend to the following distinctive marks. The first volume ought to have a dedication to the Duke of Orleans, (Regent of France) under whose auspices the edition was published, and from which circumstance it is sometimes called the Regent's edition. The title of this dedication is printed in red and black. The second volume ought to contain two articles, on David, King of the Jews: the first of these occupies pp. 963-965; the second, which comprises much additional matter and is the most important, is printed on three separate leaves numbered 963*-968*. If either of these be wanting, the book is imperfect, and its value materially diminished. There are a few copies on large paper. The first edition of Bayle's Dictionary appeared at Rotterdam, in 1697, in 4 vols. folio: it is held in some estimation, as being published under the author's own inspection. The editions of Amsterdam, 1730, in 4 vols. fol. and of Paris (under the title of Amsterdam) in 1734, in 5 vols. folio, are not much esteemed; they are greatly inferior to that of 1740, edited by M. Des Maizeaux, who prefixed a life of Bayle to the first volume. An octavo edition was commenced some time since, at Leipsic, to be completed in eight vols. forming 16 parts, and on three different papers, common, fine, and small folio. (De Bure Bibl. Instr. (Histoire, No. 4376.) Brunet, Manuel, tom. i. p. 101.) There are two English translations of this work, one in five vols. folio. London, 754. (2d edit.) and another intituled "A General Dictionary, Historical and Critical; (including a translation of the whole of Bayle's Dictionary,) containing the history of the most illustrious persons of all ages and nations," (by J. P. Bernard, T. Birch, J. Lockman, and G. Sale) London, 1734-41. 10 vols. folio. Of a work so well known as Bayle's "Dictionnaire Historique et Critique," it is not here necessary to say much: it is a performance of a singular kind, and resembling no other of a similar title. "The articles chosen are in some measure supplementary to |