information of M. Hebert, one of the most raving of book-madmen:  but he displayed, withal, a spirit of kindness and liberality towards his favourite establishment at Caen, which could not be easily shaken or subdued.  He was also a man of letters, and evinced that most commendable of all literary propensities—­a love of the LITERATURE OF HIS COUNTRY.  He amassed a very large collection of books, which was cruelly pillaged during the Revolution; but the public library became possessed of a great number of them.  In those volumes, formerly belonging to him, which are now seen, is the following printed inscription:  “Franciscus Martin, Doctor Theologus Parisiensis, comparavit.  Oretur pro co.”  He was head of the convent of Cordeliers, and Prefect of the Province:  but his mode of collecting was not always that which a public magistrate would call legitimate.  He sought books every where; and when he could not buy them, or obtain them by fair means, he would steal them, and carry them home in the sleeves of his gown!  He flourished about a century ago; and, with very few exceptions, all the best conditioned books in the library belonged to this magisterial book-robber.  Among them I noted down with singular satisfaction the Aldine edition of Stephanus de Urbibus, 1502, folio—­in its old vellum binding:  seemly to the eye, and comfortable to the touch.  Nor did his copy of the Repertorium Statutorum Ordinis Cartusiensis, printed by Amerbach, at Basil, in a glorious gothic character, 1510, folio, escape my especial notice—­also the same Bibliomaniac’s beautiful copy of the Mentz Herbal, of 1484, in 4to.

But the obliquities of Martin assume a less questionable aspect, when we contemplate a noble work, which he not only projected, but left behind ready for publication.  It is thus entitled:  Athenae Normannorum veteres ac recentes, seu syllabus Auctorum qui oriundi e Normannia, &c. It consists of one volume, in MS., having the authority of government, to publish it, prefixed.  There is a short Latin preface, by Martin, followed by two pages of Latin verses beginning thus: 

    In Auctorum Normannicorum Syllabum. 
      Prolusio metrica. 
    En Syllabus prodit palam
    Contextus arte sedula
    Ex litteratae Neustriae
    Auctoribus celebribus.
      &c. &c.

Among the men, the memories of whom throw a lustre upon Caen,[129] was the famous SAMUEL BOCHART; at once a botanist, a scholar, and a critic of distinguished celebrity.  He was a native of Rouen, and his books (many of them replete with valuable ms. notes) are among the chief treasures of the public library, here.  Indeed there is a distinct catalogue of them, and the funds left by their illustrious owner form the principal support of the library establishment.  Bochart’s portrait, with those of many other benefactors to the library, adorns the walls; suspended above the