library; but there are many by-roads of knowledge which require more detailed description than is possible to be found in the best prepared dictionary catalogue, however numerous the cross-references, or however careful the analytical work of the cataloguer. It is hoped that the preparation and issue from time to time of some descriptive catalogues of important series of works may prove of use, and by way of experiment it is proposed to publish as the BULLETIN OF THE FREE LIBRARY OF PHILADELPHIA, at irregular periods, a series of descriptive catalogues of collections of works such as have been published from time to time by important bibliographical societies, enterprising publishers, or book-loving collectors. There is no person who has been in the habit of using a public library who cannot speak with a certain amount of authority as to the value of the publications of the Roxburghe, Shakespeare, Cheetham, Scottish Text, Philobiblon, Surtees, and Early English Text, Societies. He will speak favourably of John Russell Smith's "Library of Old Authors," "The Chronicles and Memorials of Great "Britain and Ireland during the Middle Ages," published under the direction of the Master of the Rolls in England, the Vienna "Jahr"buch," and many similar works; but who would say that the general reader in any free library had not much information to acquire which would be most useful to him if the contents of those works could be presented to him in an analytical form, readily accessible. It is proposed, therefore, to make an attempt to supply that want, and in order to render the FREE LIBRARY BULLETINS as generally useful as may be, they will be issued in parts, and an index added to each monograph. In this first number is given a descriptive catalogue of the writings of Sir Walter Scott, as published in that writer's "favourite edition," in ninety-eight volumes. While this author's poems and novels are familiar to every English-speaking person, there is a residuum of nearly fifty volumes of other writings by Sir Walter which are practically unknown to a majority of readers. In the second number the series of works described will be the "Library of Old Authors."

The mass of works published and known as "The Rolls Series" now numbers over two hundred and fifty volumes, and is being peri

odically continued. Without a general index and without the means of concentrating attention upon the contents of each particular volume by some such publication as the present, the works rescued from the manuscript rooms of the British Museum, the Bodleian and other great libraries of the world, become the working tools of only a very limited number of readers, and a mass of invaluable literary material, gathered together at great cost and with much labour, dealing with an infinite variety of subjects concerning different countries and far distant periods of time, is practically lost. The writer had occasion some years ago in pursuit of professional business to make a descriptive catalogue of about one hundred and fifty volumes of the Rolls Series. The notes describing them and those describing Sir Walter Scott's writings were originally drawn as a part of a proposed descriptive catalogue of the Irvington Library of the late Jay Gould, Esq. In undertaking the present BULLETIN it seemed a pity to lose the benefit of a long but pleasant labour, the full end of which was not obtained, owing to the death of Mr. Gould. Application was made to that gentleman's eldest daughter, Miss Helen Gould, and with great courtesy she placed at the disposal of the Trustees of the Free Library of Philadelphia the manuscript catalogue as far as it had been completed by the writer while he was engaged as private librarian to Mr. Gould. It is hoped that various notes describing other large series of works which form part of Mr. Gould's library, and copies of which have been acquired for the Free Library of Philadelphia, will from time to time be printed. The descriptive catalogue of "The Rolls Series' is nearly ready, and will form Number Three of the BULLETIN.

DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE

OF THE

WRITINGS OF SIR WALTER SCOTT

Scott, (Sir) Walter (1771-1832), WORKS OF. Robert Cadell: Edinburgh. 98 vols. Post 8vo.

This is an Edition frequently called the "Author's Favourite Edition," and comprises the following sets of works:

MEMOIRS OF SIR WALTER SCOTT; or, LIFE BY LOCKHART. IO

It was originally published by Cadell, of Edinburgh; in 1830. These volumes are uniformly printed and bound.

This Edition of the Novels is embellished with "the Steel Plates belonging to "the original Edition [of Novels] in 48 volumes."

The Poetical Works have a fine series of illustrations by the celebrated J. M. W. Turner (1775-1851), to whom the subjects "were pointed out by Sir W. Scott when "that great artist visited him at Abbotsford in the autumn of 1830."

The Miscellaneous Prose Works include many which had not been previously collected or printed with the author's name, and the whole is "arranged (as nearly "as possible) in chronological order, thus illustrating the course of the author's "studies and exertions." They also are illustrated by Turner.

The Life of Sir Walter is written by his son-in-law, John Gibson Lockhart (1794– 1854).

Sir Walter Scott's method as an author was to rise at five and commence work at six, so that by breakfast, between nine and ten, "he had done enough" (to use his own language) "to break the neck of the day's work." After breakfast he would work for two hours more, and by noon he was, as he used to say, "his own man." At one, unless going on a distant excursion,-on which occasions he started after breakfast, he would go out riding, and an inflexible rule was to answer every letter he received that same day, unless the subject required research. In this way he kept pace with an enormous correspondence in a way simply marvellous when it is remembered that in twenty-five years he published twenty-five novels, several short tales,

twelve volumes of “ Tales of a Grandfather,” besides the "History of Scotland from "the time of Macbeth to 1760," the "History of France," Biographies of the 'Novelists," the "Life of Napoleon" in nine volumes, and reviews and contributions to periodicals almost innumerable.

The Introductions to Scott's Novels are rarely read now, and could certainly not be written by a modern romancer; but more pleasant bibliographical gossip can hardly be fancied. As an illustration, the Introduction to “Quentin Durward” (Nov. xxxi., pp. xxv.-lxx.) may well be quoted, describing a visit paid to an imaginary French nobleman at the "Chateau de Hautlieu" and a dinner which would warm the heart of the veriest gourmet, followed by a pleasant account of a visit by Doctor Thomas Frognall Dibdin to inspect the library, and relates his lamentations over the books that were destroyed, his bibliomaniacal joy over what remained, with some amusing thrusts at the skill with which an account of them was included in his wellknown "Catalogues of Books."

For convenience, the works and several articles included in this addition are given below in alphabetical order. The year after each work gives the date of its original publication. This, however, is "tentative" only, as even in Lockhart's "Life" one year will be given in the body of the work and another in the Chronological List of the author's works. The differences, however, are hardly material, and rarely amount to more than the substitution of one year for the next preceding or following. The several series of "Novels," "Poetical Works," "Miscellaneous Prose Works," and "Life" are indicated by the abbreviations "Nov.," "Po.," Pr.," and " "L.," respectively. The Roman numerals indicate volumes, the Arabic numbers refer to pages.

ABBOT, THE. 2 vols. (1820).

29 66

Nov. xx. and xxi.

This is a Sequel to "The Monastery," and the events are laid in 1568, etc., in the reign of Elizabeth. The scenery and events described in "The Abbot," concerning Melrose Abbey, Holyrood Palace, and Lochleven will always make this novel an enjoyable book. The principal historical personages introduced are Mary Queen of Scots, the Earls of Morton and Murray, Margaret Erskine Lady of Lochleven, Catherine Seyton, Lords Herries, Lindesay, Ruthven, and others.

Sir W. Scott felt that "The Monastery" was not received with the favour accorded to his other works: therefore when he

"... had lost one shaft,

"He shot another of the self-same flight,

"The self-same way, with more adviséd watch

"To find the other forth."

The Notes contain a much larger amount of information as to the escape of Queen Mary, contrived by the son of the keeper, than is to be found in the ordinary histories.

"The Abbot" was a favourite with Sir Walter, and certainly the famous Lochleven and its Castle are glorious pictures as described by this master of pen-painting.