[65] Seven years have elapsed since the above was written, but no CLASSED
    CATALOGUE of any portion of the Public Library of Munich has appeared
    in this country.  Speaking of duplicates, not printed in the
    fifteenth century, it may be worth observing that they have at Munich
    not fewer than six copies (double the number of those at Strasbourg;)
    of the ACTA SANCTORUM; good handsome copies in vellum binding.

[Since the first edition of this Tour was published, several copies of this stupendous, but unfortunately imperfect work, have been imported into England:  among which, however, none, to my recollection, have found their way from MUNICH.  Indeed, the heavy expense of carriage is almost an interdiction:  unless the copies were obtained at very moderate prices.]

LETTER VI.

FURTHER BOOK-ACQUISITIONS.  SOCIETY.  THE ARTS.

The bright bibliographical star, which shone upon me at Stuttgart, has continued to shine with the same benign lustre at this place. “[Greek:  Heureka Heureka]"!—­the scarcest and brightest of all the ALDINE GEMS has been found and secured by me:  that gem, for which M. Renouard still continues to sigh and to rave, alternately, in despair of a perfect copy; and which has, only very recently, been placed among the most brilliant ornaments of the Royal Library at Paris.[66] What may these strange exclamations and inuendos imply?—­methinks I hear you say.  You shall know in a trice—­which just brings me to the very point with which my previous epistle concluded.  Those “pleasant book-tidings,” referred to in my last, and postponed for the present opportunity, are “as hereafter followeth.”

In my frequent conversations with the Guardians of the Public Library, I learnt that one STOEGER, a bookseller chiefly devoted to the purchase and sale of Aldine volumes, resided in this metropolis; that his abode was rather private than public; and that his “magasin” was lodged on the second or third floor, in a row of goodly houses, to the right, on entering the city.  M. Bernhard added, that Mr. Stoeger had even a copy of the first Aldine edition of the Greek hours (printed in 1497)—­which is the very gem above alluded to; “but (observed my intelligent informant, as he accompanied me to the door of the bookseller in question) “he will not part with it:  for both the Prince Royal and our Public Library have been incessant in their importunities to possess it.  He sets an extravagant price upon it.”  Having been instructed from early youth, “never to take that for granted which remained to be proved,” I thanked the worthy M. Bernhard for his intelligence; and, wishing him a good morning, entered the chamber of Mr. Stoeger.