editions; also Henryson, Dunbar; first edition of Ossian, 1760; another edition, 1762, 1776, and other editions; Ramsay's Poems, first edition, 1721-8; Evergreen, 1724, and early editions of his other works; Alexander Scott's Poems, Laing's edition, 1821, and the Glasgow edition of 1882, the latter on vellum; Sibbald's Chronicle of Scottish Poetry, 4 volumes, 1802; ten editions of Wallace, by Blind Harry, beginning with London, 1637; Certain curious Poems, principally by James M'Alpie, Sheriff-Substitute of Renfrewshire, 1694, edited by W. Motherwell, Paisley, 1828, 30 copies printed. Doubt has been expressed as to whether M'Alpie had anything to do with this, or indeed that there ever was such a person. This copy contains an original manuscript deed, dated 1705, and signed by M Alpie. Ten entries appear under ballads, containing some scarce volumes. Seventy-four entries appear under songs, some of the titles of which are quaint and sweet-Musical Miscellany, London, 1729-31; The Syren, London, 1737; The Universal Musician, London, 1738; The Nightingale, London, 1742; The Warbling Muses, London, 1749; The Thrush, London, 1749; The Linnet, London, 1749; The Brent, or English Syren, London, 1765; The Charmer, Edinburgh, 176582; Steven's Choice Spirits Chaplet, Whitehaven, 1771; Merry Companion, Newcastle, 1772; Charms of Cheerfulness, Carlisle, 1778; The Bullfinch, London; Cheerful Companion, Perth, 1780; Grinning made more Easy, Oswestry; Vocal Magazine, London, 1781; Convivial Songster, London, 1782; The Goldfinch, Glasgow, 1782; The Busy Bee, London; The Vocal Enchantress, London, 1783; Calliope, London, 1785; The Skylark, London, 1791; The Bouquet, York, 1792; Banquet of Thalia, York, 1792; Edinburgh Musical Miscellany, 1792-3; Scots Nightingale; Whim of the Day, 1790 to 1805; Myrtle and Vine, London, 1803; The Apollo, London, 1814; Laughable Songster, London, 1814; The Dandy, Cork, 1820;

The Lotus, Edinburgh, 1830; The Thistle, London, 1833; The Poesie, Glasgow, 1834; Whistle-Binkie, Glasgow, 1842. The library also contains nine of Peter Buchan's rare publications and several of Allan Cunningham's works. Collections of poems are numerous. Sixty-eight entries appear in the catalogue under J. O. Halliwell; all J. P. Collier's Reprints of Early English Popular Literature, red, green, blue, yellow, magenta, and brown series; twelve of his miscellaneous works, and sixteen of his original works are in the collection. The Library of Old Authors is also here. There are fifty-nine entries at James Maidment. The most rare of these is Nugae Derelictae, Edinburgh, 1822, a joint production of Maidment and Robert Pitcairn. In the preface Mr. Maidment says that owing to the small number of copies printed of some of the pamphlets in the volume, not more than six complete copies exist. One is in the Abbotsford collection; Mr. Thomas Thomson had a copy which is now in the Grenville collection, British Museum ; Mr. Whiteford Mackenzie has a copy; Mr. Maidment and Mr. Pitcairn had each a copy (both now in the possession of Mr. Russell); and Mr. J. Wyllie Guild has a copy. The first, third, and fourth editions of Bishop Percy's Reliques of Ancient English Poetry, issued respectively in 1765, 1775, and 1794, are on the shelves. All the rare works issued by David Laing are here, and so also are the numerous productions, poetical and otherwise, of John Pinkerton, including a unique and most magnificent volume containing the 204 plates issued with his Collection of Voyages and Travels, engravers' proofs upon India paper. The volume formerly belonged to one of the principal engravers engaged on the work. The Aldine edition of the British Poets, 35 of Joseph Ritson's works, Watson's Collection of Comic and Serious Scots Poems, 1709-11-13; Arber's English Reprints; the publications of the Percy Society, with the suppressed parts; and

.

those of the Hunterian Club, Spenser Society, Ballad Society, and Early English Text Society, are all here.

In Scottish history and topography there are many fine works, including the very rare first edition of Holinshed's Chronicles, and a large paper copy of Chalmers's Caledonia.

Mr. Russell is more than ordinarily strong in original editions of Rev. Zachary Boyd's works. He has a copy of the "Last Battell of the Soule in Death," 2 volumes, Edinburgh, 1629, with the much spoken of 1628 title-page. This title-page is inserted after the prefatory matter, just before the beginning of the book, and is in this respect the counterpart of Professor Ferguson's copy. We owe Mr. Russell an apology for not mentioning his copy in our introduction, but we were unavoidably compelled to finish that part of the book before we had an opportunity of examining the copy at Cleveden. Mr. Russell is also the fortunate possessor of the only copy known of Boyd's "Four Letters of Comfort for the Deaths of the Erle, of Hadingtoun and of the Lord Boyd," printed by George Anderson, Glasgow's first printer, at Glasgow in 1640. It formerly belonged to Mr. Maidment. A reprint was issued in 1878, of which 150 copies were printed, six of them on vellum. One of the six is here. The other notable Boyd volume in the collection is "Two Sermons for those who are to come to the Table of the Lord," printed at Edinburgh by John Wreittoun in 1629. Everything relating to the old minister of the Barony who preached at Cromwell, and received payment in kind from the Protector, being invited to dinner, and afterwards treated to a prayer of three hours' duration, is interesting, and of at least local value. His works are extremely difficult to get save in reprints, and even these are rising in price.

Mr. Russell has a good copy of the first history of Glasgow, "M'Ure's View," 1736, and also copies of the various other histories and sketches of the city written

by Denholm, Cleland, Strang, Pagan, Stuart, Reid, Wade, Mackenzie, Macgeorge, and Hill. He has the "Memorabilia of Glasgow," 1835, and "Glasgow Looking-Glass" and "Northern Looking-Glass," 1825-6. History is well represented, that of England especially So. All the well-known histories are on the shelves, and the reign of Charles I. and the time of the Commonwealth is illustrated by over one hundred works, the greater number of them contemporary with the events related.

In Fine Art we have to chronicle a very large and fine collection of works by and relating to John Ruskin. They number about one hundred and fourteen, and are in fine condition and beautifully bound.

In this division are also a complete set of both series of the Arundel Society, Hamerton's "Etchers," the first, second, and third editions; his "Graphic Arts,' and other works; Sir William Stirling Maxwell's "Annals of the Artists in Spain," 'Antwerp Delivered in 1577," "Procession of Pope Clement VII." and the "Emperor Charles V. at Bolognia," and other works; and the beautiful works of Paul Lacroix.

Of works of Fiction there is a fair selection. All Sir Walter Scott's novels are here in their original form.

There are a number of Chap-books in the library hailing from Glasgow, Paisley, Stirling, Newcastle, Alnwick, and Manchester presses.

Bibliography is well represented. Works by Dibdin, Lowndes, Hill Burton, Brydges, and others are present. There are numerous sets of collected works in the library, and many works of a miscellaneous kind which we must content ourselves with recording in this general sentence. The works we have named will show that the library is very rich in early poetical and historical works, and also in several other departments of literary production, but a further examination. would also show that present-day literature and the modern side of history, philosophy, etc., is not by any means neglected.

CHAPTER XXIII.

LIBRARY OF MATHEW SHIELDS, ESQ., SECRETARY OF
THE GLASGOW STOCK EXCHANGE.

Character of the Collection- Witchcraft-Kirkcudbright Case-Bovet's "Pandamonium "-Scottish PoetryHome's "Douglas"-Burns-Clark's Version of the Song of Solomon-Defoe's " Caledonia"-The Pockmanty Sermon-Knox's "Historie of the Reformation," first edition-Covenanting Tracts-"Terrible Newes from Scotland"-Patrick Walker-Letter from a Blacksmith on the Religious State of Scotland -Biography-Darien Tracts-Prince Charles's Account of the Battle of Falkirk-Scottish Topography -Glasgow Books-Glasgow Periodicals-Views of Glasgow-Poems on Glasgow-Paisley Books-Scottish Trials-Tinclarian Doctor-Chap-books-Conclusion.

YET another Scottish library. We remarked in a previous chapter on the improbability of two collections, although on the same subject, so exactly coinciding as to render examination of one of them unnecessary and valueless, and this library is an apt illustration of the truth of our contention. It is almost unreservedly Scottish, has been formed during the last twenty years, a period which has also witnessed the birth and growth of three other Scottish libraries described in this book, and yet is dissimilar to these in so many respects, and possesses so strong an individuality as to richly reward examination and to demand separate description.

It is not a collection of the most approved histories; indeed it has few of these, but consists almost wholly