Our last extract shows that even Bibliomaniacs are mortal, and must yield them to the power of Death; who enters the snug library, and strikes them down in the midst of their treasures.

But he's gone :-can one Triplet his memory save,
Can his Bishop interr him? his Boys Wal-de-Grave?
With but putting in boards can his spirit be fled?
Why he ne'er got a Coffin until he was dead!
Ah, no, with his volumes would tarry his soul,
Could folios, could big-belly'd quartos controul,
Or octavos et infra; nay, studious be seen,
With a twelve in morocco, or russia sixteen.
Shade of Paterson, shall his collection disperse,
And one alphabet.crush ev'ry class, prose and verse?
Nor tell all that the imp. on fly-leaf can portend?

Nor imp. that he hallow'd and no devil would mend?

This is one of those considerations which must embitter even That wondrous the pleasantest thoughts of the Book-Hunter. creation-his library-which he has evoked from the chaos of old book-shops, from a thousand nooks and corners beyond the ken of ordinary mortals, must in process of time return to chaos again.

The The magnificent collections of Heber are now but a name. only remedy is to follow the example of the Right Hon. Thomas Grenville, who left his fine collection to the nation, and so earned the lasting gratitude of the student and book-lovers of all succeeding generations.

Another trifle of unknown origin is a description of the Bookworm-the human variety that is.

The Bokeworme sitteth in his celle,
He studyethe all alone,

And burnethe oute the oile,

"Till ye midnight hour is gone.

Then gethe he downe upon

his bedde,

Ne mo watch will he a-keepe,

He layethe his heade on ye pillowe,

And eke he tryes to sleepe.

Then swyfte there cometh a vision grimme,

and greethythe him sleeynge fair,

And straighte hee dreameth of grislie dreames,

And dreades fellowne and rayre.

His spirit yt swynketh all the daye,

Still laborethe in the night,

And flyethe oute among deadlie things,

And things with tremoure dight.

And when he riseth in morrowe's prime

His cheeke lookethe wondrous wyte,

And his eyne are redde and dimme

Wyth wasting over night.

His head dothe ache for want of rest,

His throate is hot and dry,

For when he burnethe the midnight oile
Grim Deathe standethe him by.
Wherefore, if cravest life to eld
Ne rede longe uppe at night,
But go to bed at curfew bell
And ryse wythe mornynge's lyte.

E. B. B.

We know what pleasant memories are associated with the volumes bearing on them the device of the anchor used by the family of Aldus, printers who have achieved enduring fame for the beauty of their typography. Not less pleasant are the associations with the imitation of their device used by William Pickering, the most tasteful of English publishers. The Rev. John Mitford upon one occasion wrote a little impromptu, containing allusion to the devices used by several printers, and ending with well-deserved good wishes to William Pickering :

Impromptu. By the Rev. John Mitford.
[Here is Pickering's device.]

"Let your emblems or devices be a dove, or a fish or a musical lyre, or a naval anchor."

Would you still be safely landed,
On the Aldine Anchor ride;
Never yet was vessel stranded
With the Dolphin by its side.
Fleet is Wechel's flying courser,
A bold and bridleless steed is he ;
But when winds are piping hoarser
The Dolphin rides the stormy sea.
Stephens was a noble printer,

Of knowledge firm he fixt his Tree;
But time in him made many a splinter
As old Elzevir in thee.

Whose name the bold Digamma hallows
Knows how well his page it decks;
But black it looks as any gallows
Fitted for poor authors' necks.

Nor time nor envy e'er shall canker
The sign that is my lasting pride:
Joy, then, to the Aldine Anchor,
And the Dolphin at its side!

To the Dolphin, as we're drinking,
Life, and health, and joy we send ;
A poet once he saved from sinking,
And still he lives, the poet's friend.

This bit of cardboard is now but rarely seen, although it has been reprinted within recent years.

DISCUSSION.-Mr. B. R. WHEATLEY said that he possessed a copy of Dibdin's poem; it purported to be the first book of a poem in six books, and principally related to the sales of rare books by the principal booksellers of the time.-Mr. TEDDER regretted that Dibdin had fallen into such disrepute, but he unfortunately wrote in a pert style, scarcely befitting the dignity of his subject. His great knowledge of bibliography could not be denied.-Mr. HARRISON mentioned that the Roxburgh sale, so famous in the annals of bibliography, took place in the house next door to that now occupied by the London Library.

A vote of thanks to Mr. Axon for his interesting paper was then carried unanimously.

Among the donations laid upon the table was a copy of the Catalogue of the Library of the Pharmaceutical Society, presented by Mr. J. W. KNAPMAN, the compiler.

Mr. Reginald Hanson, a member of this Association and late Chairman of the Library Committee of the Corporation of London, was, on the 1st inst., elected Alderman of London for the Ward of Billingsgate.

London: TRÜBNER & CO., Ludgate Hill. Single Numbers, Threepence each. Annual Subscription, post free, 3s. 6d.

MONTHLY NOTES

OF THE

Library Association

of the United Kingdom.

THE following notice as to the Annual Meeting has been issued by

the Council:

DEAR SIR,

21st July, 1880.

The Third Annual Meeting of our Association will be held at Edinburgh, in the Rooms of the Royal Society, on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, the 5th, 6th, and 7th of October. The Libraries of Scotland will naturally engage our particular notice; and it is proposed to devote special attention to the subjects of Classification and Binding. The Council will be glad to receive offers of papers at once; and also to learn if you propose to attend. Further arrangements will be duly announced.

Yours faithfully, ERNEST C. THOMAS, Secretary,

2, South Square, Gray's Inn, London, W.C. N.B. The Committees (of the whole Association) on special subjects will meet on Friday next, and on the first and third Fridays of August, at 7 p.m., at the London Institution, to consider their Reports.

Members who intend to be present at the meeting at Edinburgh are requested to inform the Secretary by letter or post-card as soon as possible. The information will greatly assist the Officers in London, as well as the Local Committee, in making arrangements for the meeting.

Nominations for the Council, and notices of motion for the Annual Meeting, must be sent to the Secretary before the 5th September, in accordance with the constitution.

The Council cannot undertake to consider any paper unless it is received by the 15th September.

The Treasurer requests that those members who have not paid their subscriptions for the present year will do so at once, that the amount may be duly entered in the forthcoming balance-sheet, which will be made up to the 10th September.

Post Office Orders to be made payable to Mr. R. HARRISON, of the London Library, at the St. James's Street Post Office, S.W.

The preparations for our meeting at Edinburgh are steadily proceeding, and there is every reason to expect a fair representation of our members. Papers are expected on "The Early History of Printing in Scotland;" "The Origin and Growth of the several Libraries in Edinburgh;" "Some of the Causes of the Rarity of Rare Books;' ""Buckram: A Palinode."

The Local Committee have issued the following circular:

Library Association of the United Kingdom..

EDINBURGH MEETING, 1880.

SIR, We beg to inform you that the THIRD ANNUAL MEETING of the LIBRARY ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED KINGDOM will be held in Edinburgh, on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, the 5th, 6th, and 7th of October, 1880.

The main object of the Association is to unite all persons engaged or interested in Library work, for the purpose of promoting the best possible administration of existing Libraries, the formation of new Libraries, and the spread of information tending to further those objects, and for the encouragement of Bibliographical Research.

The Meetings of the Association will be held in the ROYAL SOCIETY'S ROOMS, ROYAL INSTITUTION, and special visits will be arranged to various Libraries and other Institutions.

Subscribers of 10s. 6d. or upwards will be admitted as Members of the Associa tion for the current year, with full privileges, including the right to the printed Report of the Proceedings.

Subscribers of 5s. will be admitted as Associates for the Meeting, with the right to attend the Meetings; but they shall not be entitled to receive the Printed Report, be Members of any Committee, or hold any office.

The Local Committee appointed to make arrangements for the forthcoming Meeting invite you to contribute to the Fund for the necessary expenses, to meet which it is estimated that a sum of at least £160 will be required.

The Subscriptions may be sent to the Treasurer, W. TRAQUAIR DICKSON, Esq., W.S., 4, Hill Street, Edinburgh.

We have the honour to remain your obedient Servants,
THOS. G. LAW, Signet Library, Secretaries.

WM. BLACK, S.S.C. Library,

}

AUGUST MEETING.

In accordance with the notice given above, the Monthly Meeting for August was not held, and the Committees of the whole Association met to consider their reports.

COMMITTEE ON TITLE-ENTRIES.

The following Report has been presented to the Council by the Special Committee (of the whole Association), and is now printed for the information of members. It will be formally presented to the Association for acceptance at the Edinburgh Meeting.

REPORT.

The Committee on this subject have carried out the instructions given to them by the Association at Manchester. They have held many meetings during the past year, and have had the advantage of specially conferring with Mr. Bullen and Mr. Garnett of the British Museum. The rules for title-entries, as presented to the

Association last year, have been carefully reconsidered, and many
additions have been made. They have dealt with the subject of
size-notation, which was committed to them at Manchester, and
hope that the solution they have suggested of this troublesome and
complicated question may be found satisfactory. They recommend
that the rules as now drafted shall be the

CATALOGUING RULES OF THE LIBRARY ASSOCIATION OF THE
UNITED KINGDOM.

TITLE.

1. The title is to be an exact transcription from the title-page, Exact tranneither amended, translated, nor in any way altered, except that script. mottoes, repetitions, and matter of any kind not essential are to

be omitted. The punctuation of the title need not be strictly

adhered to.

2. Where great accuracy is desirable, omissions are to be in- Omissions. dicated by a group of three dots (...)

3. The titles of books especially valuable for antiquity or rarity, Full. may be given in full, with the exact punctuation.

4. In English, initial capitals are to be given to proper names Capitalizaof persons and personifications, places, bodies, noted events, and tion. periods (each separate word not an article, conjunction, or preposition being capitalized in these cases); to adjectives and other words derived from proper names when they have a direct reference to the person, place, &c., from which they are derived; to the first word of every quoted title; to titles of honour, when standing instead of a proper name (e.g. Earl of Derby, but John Stanley, earl of Derby).

5. In foreign languages, capitalization is to follow the local

usage.

6. In doubtful cases capitals are to be avoided.

VOLUMES, SIZE, PLACE, DATE, &c.

7. Other particulars are to be given after the title in the following order, those printed in italics being optional:

(a.) The edition as specified on the title-page. Incunabula to be notified.

(b.) The number of volumes, if more than one.

(c.) If there be only one volume, the number of pages to be indicated by giving the last number of each pagination, connecting the numbers by the sign+; the same sign added at the end indicating additional matter unpaged other than advertisements. (d.) The number of separate illustrations, maps or portraits. (e.) The size.

(f) The place of publication, and the publisher's name. (9.) The year as given on the title-page, but in arabic figures.

(h.) The year of actual publication if known to be different, in brackets.