that possessed Romeo when, gazing upon Juliet, he exclaimed:

"O, that I were a glove upon that hand,
That I might touch that cheek!"

The national library contains among its choicest varieties an exquisitely beautiful little volume of Petrarch's Sonnets, printed at Venice, by Aldus, in 1501. It is printed on vellum of the softest texture, and is remarkable, not only as the first Italian book printed in italic type, but also as having been the property of Isabella d'Este, who married Gian-Francesco Gonzaga, Marquis of Mantua, whose arms are emblazoned on the lower margin of this beautiful little volume. We have seen Mr. Panizzi introduce this gem both of printing and binding to many distinguished visitors-among them to our beloved Queen-and point out its varied beauties. We heard him say, upon one of these occasions, that if anything would induce him to rob the library, that volume would be the one of all others that he would select. That he did not elope with this casket of love songs of his great countryman may be ascertained by any visitor by a reference to one of the show-cases in the King's Library, where the book may be seen by anybody who will take the trouble to look it out from among the rich and rare companions by which it is surrounded.

But lest we rhapsodize too much upon

matters which may not be so interesting to others as to ourselves, let us come back to the subject of our sketch, and say that the catalogues of the various collections at the time of Mr. Panizzi's appointment were in a most unsatisfactory condition. They had been drawn up at various times, and under all sorts of different rules, producing no small confusion. To reduce these to one catalogue, with one general plan, needed the head and hand of a master; and such a man was then at the head of the national library. To suggest, organise, and superintend all the manifold new arrangements involved a vast amount of labour; but it was found that the new Keeper was fully equal to any demands that might be made upon him. It is a matter of regret that, at this early period of Mr. Panizzi's administration of the library, the press was almost unanimous in their attacks upon him. Partisans of Mr. Cary ever and anon fed the fire that was kept up against him from every quarter; and we should not faithfully chronicle the doings of these days did we not mention that his greatest enemies were "those of his own house." Mr. Panizzi's appointment was signed by two out of the three Principal Trustees-viz., the Lord Chancellor and the Speaker of the House of Commons; the Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Howley-having filled up an appointment in the name of Mr. Cary. This significant fact will account for much of the

opposition that Mr. Panizzi met with in the early part of his career. He, however, happily outlived all the abuse that was heaped upon him; and it is singular that every public attack upon him was the means of bringing out some distinctive trait in his character, which, in the end, only added to his fame. We remember to have heard him remark, on one occasion, when a most unjust and malignant onslaught was made upon him, that a newspaper attack is galling for a few days, but in a week it is all over and forgotten.

As soon as he was promoted to the Keepership, the new librarian set to work in right earnest upon the duties that devolved upon him. The removal of the library was the first thing done; and this was effected without the readers being interfered with in the smallest degree. As we remarked just now, Mr. Panizzi began the arrangement and classifying of the books as they came from Montague House. He soon found, however, that he could not, without neglecting other matters, attend to this attractive work.

The then existing staff of the department was not by any means equal to the requirements needed in carrying out the plans for the rearrangement of the books in the new library, and the revision of the catalogues of the various collections. Mr. Panizzi immediately applied to the Trustees for the necessary additional help,

and several gentlemen were at once engaged as "temporary-assistants.” One of these was the late Mr. Thomas Watts, who had been long known in the Reading-room as a man of great attainments as a linguist, as well as for his extensive knowledge of general literature. Mr. Watts's subsequent career in the national library abundantly justified the selection for the special work for which his services were required. Another of these temporary-assistants was Mr. George Bullen, who, at the death of Mr. Watts, succeeded him as Superintendent of the Reading-room, and who is so well known now for his ready and cheerful help to any reader who may be desirous of making use of his able services. Mr. Bullen was spoken of by his chief, in his evidence before the Royal Commissioners, as "one of my best assistants." Mr. Sergeant Parry, the present well-known advocate, was another of these temporary-assistants, and laboured most successfully in the library for many years upon the new catalogue; until, in 1843, he left the service of the Trustees for the more prominent and lucrative attractions of the bar. Mr. Edward Edwards, afterwards first Librarian of the Manchester Free Library, was another of the little band of literary worthies who did so much, by their unobtrusive labours, to make our national library what it now is, and who are justly entitled to grateful remembrance. Mr. Edwards is a man of considerable ability, and is the author of many

interesting and valuable works; one of which is, Lives of the Founders of the British Museum; with Notices of its Chief Augmenters and other Benefactors—1570-1870. This gentleman retired from the service of the trustees in 1846, and is still engaged in the pursuit of his favourite bibliographical and historical studies. We would not omit to mention yet another of these helpers to Mr. Panizzi, in his early administration of the library. Mr. Nicholas Simons was the fifth of these "extra-assistants," and was a man devotedly attached to books. This gentleman was very highly esteemed by his numerous colleagues in the Museum, to the day of his retirement in 1870. He is known to the literary world by his industrious and careful elucidation of the vexed question of the authorship of "Junius."

To Mr. Watts was confided the duty of classification and re-arrangement of the books, as they were removed from Montague House; and, in the performance of this duty, every book passed separately under his eye. Mr. Watts had a wondrous memory, and once told the writer of this sketch that he never forgot the title-page of any work that had passed through his hands. It was this marvellous faculty that gave him such a comprehensive, ready, and exact acquaintance with the contents of the national collection. He, with Mr. Winter Jones, rendered important help in noting deficiencies that were subsequently embodied in the celebrated Parliamentary paper,