CATHARIN DE SIENA. 1500.  Folio.  This volume is also a peculiarity in the Aldine department.  It is, in the first place, a very fine copy—­and formerly belonged to Anne of Brittany.  In the second place, it has a wood-cut prefixed, and several introductory pieces, which, if I remember rightly, do not belong to Lord Spencer’s copy of the same edition.

ISOCRATES.  Gr. Printed at Milan. 1493.  Folio.  What is somewhat singular, there is another copy of this book which has a title and imprint of the date of 1535 or 1524; in which the old Greek character of the body of the work is rather successfully imitated.[84]

BIBLIA POLYGLOTTA COMPLUTENSIA. 1516-22.  Fol. 6 vols.  I doubt exceedingly whether this be not the largest and finest copy in existence.  It may possibly be even large paper—­but certainly, if otherwise, it is among the most ample and beautiful.  The colour, throughout, is white and uniform; which is not the usual characteristic of copies of this work.  It measures fourteen inches and three quarters in height, and belonged originally to Henry II. and Diane de Poictiers.  It wanted only this to render it unrivalled; and it now undoubtedly is so.

TESTAMENTUM NOVUM.  Gr. Printed by R. Stephen. 1550.  Folio.  Another treasure from the same richly-fraught collection.  It is quite a perfect copy; but some of the silver ornaments of the sides have been taken off.  Let me now place before you a few more testimonies of the splendour of that library, which was originally the chief ornament of the Chateau d’Anet,[85] and not of the Louvre.

HERODOTUS.  Gr. Printed by Aldus, 1502.  Folio.  I had long supposed Lord Spencer’s copy—­like this, upon LARGE PAPER—­to be the finest first Aldine Herodotus in existence:  but the first glimpse only of the present served to dissipate that belief.  What must repeated glimpses have produced?

LUCIANUS.  Gr. Printed by the Same. 1503.  Folio.  Equally beautiful—­large, white, and crackling—­with the preceding.

SUIDAS.  Gr. Printed by the Same. 1503.  Folio.  The same praise belongs to this copy; which, like its precursors, is clothed in the first mellow and picturesque binding.

EUSTATHIUS IN HOMERUM. 1542.  Folio. 3 vols.  A noble copy—­eclipsed perhaps, in amplitude only, by that in the collection of Mr. Grenville.

DION CASSIUS.  Gr. 1548.  Folio.  APPIANUS.  Gr. 1551.  Folio.  DIONYSIUS HALICARNASSENSIS. 1546.  Folio.  These exquisitely well printed volumes are from the press of the Stephens.  The present copies, clothed in their peculiar bindings, are perhaps the most beautiful that exist.  They are from the library of the Chateau d’Anet.  Let it not be henceforth said that the taste of Henri II. was not well directed by the influence of Diane de Poictiers, in the choice of BOOKS.

CICERONIS OPERA OMNIA. Printed by the Giunti, 1534.  Folio. 4 vols.  I introduce this copy to your notice, because there are four leaves of Various Readings, at the end of the fourth volume, which M. Van Praet said he had never observed, nor heard of, in any other copy.[86] I think also that there are two volumes of the same edition upon LARGE PAPER:—­the rest being deficient.  Does any perfect copy, of this kind, exist?