What I conceive to be the second edition in Hunter's Collection, begins to have the leaves numbered at the eleventh page, which distinction extends no farther than the forty-second page. In all other particulars, this copy coincides with that above described, in the Cracherode Collection. The Hunterian Collection possesses à copy more ancient, as I believe, than either the Cracherode or Earl Spencer's copies. This is of a more Gothic character, and ends thus: Finis ejus quod invenitur Marci Varronis. The Greek words are omitted, and spaces left to be filled up with the pen. The three editions may be thus distinguished: 1. Without date, printer's name, place, or sign of any kind. 2. Without date, but certainly about 1470. 3. Was printed at Brixia, 1483. WICLIFF. It is almost unnecessary to state, that this illustrious personage was the forerunner of Luther, in establishing the principles of the reformation, or that, on this account, he was so obnoxious to the the court of Rome, that he was the perpetual object of their implacable hatred and unremitted persecution. His publications were invariably sought after to be destroyed, and perhaps, of all rare books, that which is the subject of this article is among the most rare, on this account. A minute description of it is given by De Bure, in his 628th article. The title is as follows: Joannis Wiclefi viri undequaque piissimi, Dialogorum Libri 1v. quorum primus Divinitatem et Ideas tractat: secundus Universarum creationem complectitur: tertius de Virtutibus vitiisque contrariis copiosissime loquitur: quartus Romanæ Ecclesiæ Sacramenta ejus pestiferam dotationem Antichristi regnum, fratrum fraudulentam originem, atque eorum hypocrisim varia que nostro ævo scitu dignissima graphice per stringit. Anno 1525, in 4to. There is no name of place or printer, but De Bure thinks, from the resemblance of the type, that it was printed by Oporin, at Basil. The court of Rome seized and burned every copy that could be procured. Some have thought that there is another work of Wicliff, with the title of Trialogorum Libri IV. But this is not the case, and the mistake has arisen from there being three speakers in these dialogues, namely, Alethia or Truth, Pseudis or falshood, Phronesis or Prudence. The hatred with which Wicliff was persecuted by the advocates of the court of Rome, did not terminate with his life. His body was dug up some years after his death, burned, and his ashes thrown into the river. ༄』 *, A most beautiful copy of this book, which answers, in every particular, the description given by De Bure, is preserved in the Cracherode Collection. In a book so remarkably curious and rare, the following short extract from the Prologus by the editor, may easily be excused. con mắ En mitissime ac christiane Lector is (Wicliffus) ipse est qui jamjam sole relucente tenebras ac densissimas lucis inimicas nebulas propulsante, ab inferis' solertissimi cujusdam typographi benefitio et opera non vulgari ac longinquis adscitus, in lucem reviviscens prodit, qui ut testantur monumenta noverit quid distent æra lupinis tamen adeo sterile ac infelix erat quo vixit sæculum ut eo quo decet nitore licet pie non potuit aut si potuit minus suæ ætati licuit cælestes sibi datas opes exactius Posteritati demandare. A Again, speaking of Wicliff's body being dug up and burned, he observes Decretum enim Libri authorem Johannem VViclefum qui jam diu vitæ pensum absolvisset ac sepultum suæ temporariæ rursus effodi ac ejus ossa cremari statutum est. O Cæcitatem O Vindictam insignem qui ut in 41 humanis ita in umbris umbris placidissimis cum Christo quiescens magistri nempe Christi Domini sui testis evasit. His paucis Christiane Lector Vale et Typographi operam boni consule, JAMES I. THE examples of the Double Acrostic are not very common; they certainly must have cost the composers no small degree of labour and trouble. In a Presentation Copy of Verses to James the First and his Queen, Anne of Denmark, by Michael Huass, a noble Dane, printed at Paris, is the following, which may serve as a specimen of this sort of composition. REGNORUM FLORENTISSIMORUM ANGLIE, SCOTIE, FRANCIE ET HIBERNIE, Jacobus Rex, Anna Regina αναγραμματικώς, Nonne Felicissimo tenore, Fama Regia, Britannicas Rari Ævi putih hook. Rex Regina? dofraid... K 3 I-ngens I-ngens pererrat, tutus æquor Navit-A In the original, from which the above is taken, the Acrostics are inserted in two open columns, with a crown as a capital to each, and the capital letters are variously illuminated with gold and different colours. The writer of the following letter to this same Monarch would not easily have believed, that the Prince his son would afterwards be expelled from his dominions, for his extravagant attachment to that same Babylonish strumpet, on a deliverance from which he thus congratulates the father. The letter is in manuscript, and prefixed to some congratulatory verses addressed to James, and printed in London, in 1616. Serenissime et Laudatissime Rex QUOTIES varias Vari illius Romani Scortiq. Babylonici machinationes, in te |