His son Chretien de la
Moignon was as zealous a book-buyer as his father, and he secured the
renown of their library by engaging the services of Adrien Baillet.
Dibdin quoted passages from Baillet's biography that show the tenderness
with which the family treated his 'crazy body and nervous mind': 'Madame
La Moignon and her son always took a pleasure in anticipating his wishes,
soothing his irritabilities, promoting his views, and speaking loudly and
constantly of the virtues of his head and heart.' Baillet in his turn
gave to his employers the credit of his best literary work. 'It was done
for you,' he wrote, 'and in your house, and by one who is ever yours to
command.' The library was much enlarged by its owner in the third
generation; and by its union with the collection of M. Berryer, who died
in 1762, it became 'one of the most splendid in Europe.' It was dispersed
during the troubles of the Revolution, and a great portion was brought to
London in 1791; but the works on jurisprudence were reserved, and were
sold in Paris a few years afterwards.
David Ancillon is perhaps best known as the defender of Luther and
Calvin. But according to Bayle he was an indefatigable book-collector,
and notable for having set the fashion of buying books in the first
edition. Most people thought, said D'Israeli, that the first edition was
only an imperfect essay, 'which the author proposes to finish after
trying the sentiments of the literary world.' Bayle was on the side of
Ancillon.
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