'
It has been said that with this sale commenced the new era in
bibliography, during which such fabulous prices were given for fine
editions of the classics; but the date should perhaps be carried back to
Dr. Mead's time. Some credit for the new development should also be
ascribed to Joseph Smith, who collected early-printed books and classics
at Venice, while acting as English consul. His first library was
purchased by George III. in 1762, and now forms the best part of the
'King's Library' at the British Museum. His later acquisitions were sold
in 1773 by public auction in London. Among other classical libraries of
an old-fashioned kind we should notice the Osterley Park collection, only
recently dispersed, which was formed by Bryan Fairfax; it was purchased
_en bloc_ in 1756 by Mr. Francis Child, and passed from him to the family
of the Earl of Jersey.
Topham Beauclerc housed his thirty thousand volumes, as Walpole declared,
in a building that reached halfway from London to Highgate; his
collection was in two parts, of which the first was mainly classical, and
the other was very rich in English antiquities and history. In 1783 was
sold almost the last of the encyclopaedic collections which used to fill
the position now occupied by great public libraries. Mr. Crofts possessed
a treasury of Greek and Roman learning; he was especially rich in
philology, in Italian literature, in travels, in Scandinavian affairs;
'under the shortest heads, some one or more rare articles occur, but in
the copious classes literary curiosity is gratified, is highly feasted.
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