which his taste may dispose him to engage.' In this way he proceeded to prove that a clergyman was even better fitted for engaging in mathematical research than a professor of mathematics, who would be exhausted with his professional duties. Dr. Chalmers afterwards much regretted this publication and did his best to suppress it. Professor Leslie was appointed despite a protest lodged by the Presbytery of Edinburgh. The case was carried to the Assembly, where, after hearing speakers on both sides for two days, on a preliminary point, it was resolved by a majority not to consider the case.

Of Chap-Books, Mr. Gray has as fine and as large a collection as there is in this chap-collecting neighbourhood. On a rough estimate they number about 1,500. 1,200 of these are bound in volumes containing from 20 to 80 each. The rest are loose. The greater portion of the original editions of Dougal Graham's (the "Skellat Bellman" of Glasgow) are there, and also the chaps issued by Peter Buchan at Peterhead, and some early religious ones printed at Edinburgh. Among the imprints are Glasgow, Edinburgh, Stirling, Falkirk, Paisley, Airdrie, Greenock, Kilmarnock, Aberdeen, Dunbar, Belfast, Newcastle, and London.

As a matter of course, the works relating to Glasgow are very numerous, and some of them of great interest. Mr. Gray possesses a series of documents relating to the action instituted against the Corporation of Glasgow by William Fleming, wright, relative to the removal of his sawmill on the Molendinar Burn (1764 and subsequent years). They consist of

(a) State of the Process.

(b) Pursuer's Proof, with the evidence of 46 witnesses. (c) Defenders' Proof, with the evidence of 27 witnesses. (d) Memorial for the Pursuer.

(e) Memorial for the Defenders.

(f) Petition for Pursuer.

(g) Answers for Defenders.

(h) Plan of the Course of the Molendinar Burn.

(i) Elevation of North End of Arches, and Dam of Sawmill.

The plan is of high local importance, as it is the first we have of Glasgow. It includes the greater part of the city, showing the College, High Street, Gallowgate, Saltmarket, Trongate, King Street, Candleriggs, Princes Street, Goose Dubs, and the streets adjoining, and shows the course of the burn from its entry within the bounds of the city to where it emptied itself into the Clyde. The evidence led in the course of the case affords much valuable information regarding the domestic history of the city. Seventy-three persons, some of them leading citizens, testified, and necessarily gave a good deal of autobiographical matter which is now of exceeding great interest.

A copy of the rare 1629 two-volume edition of Zachary Boyd's "Last Battell of the Soule in Death is in the collection. This very valuable work is in several of the libraries described in this volume, and is treated of fully in the account of the library of Mr. Guild, who possesses an extremely rare and interesting copy. Mr. Gray's is clean and complete, and is beautifully bound in blue morocco, by Riviere. The gallery of Raphael called his Bible, being 52 prints after pictures by Raphael, has a Glasgow interest. It is in an oblong folio, issued in 1770, and was engraved in the Academy of Arts at Glasgow, and printed by the famous Glasgow printers, Robert and Andrew Foulis. Fairbairn's "Relics of Ancient Architecture in Glasgow" is a beautiful volume, which increases in interest as year by year the scenes so gracefully and faithfully depicted are swept into the limbo of the things that were. is about to be re-issued. "Glasgow Illustrated," by Scott, with descriptive text by Cullan, 1834, is a fine series of views, and an uncommon book. Gibson's

It

"History of Glasgow" has not yet been included in the list of Glasgow rarities, although a copy possessing the map which should accompany the history will always command a good price. Mr. Gray's copy is worth special mention, however, as being a thick paper copy. The following tiny books are of high local interest :-Halliwell's "Glasgow Merriments" (30 copies printed), the List of Subscribers to the University, and a number of the miniature books published by Lumsden in the early part of this century, embellished with cuts by Bewick. Macgeorge's "Armorial Insignia of Glasgow," ""Account of the Town's Hospital," 1737, and "Hutchesoniana," are worth mentioning. In addition to these Mr. Gray has a most extensive and highly interesting series of pamphlets, broadsides, handbills, and posters relating to Old Glasgow, and his collection of early Glasgow printing is not inconsiderable.

His collection of trials is large and of great interest. The trials of Burke and Hare and of Dr. Pritchard and other Glasgow trials are illustrated most fully by a large number of documents of all kinds and sizes. Song-sheets, rudely illustrated, that were hawked about the street at the time, are here as clean as when they were issued, legal documents, pamphlets, etc., forming a mass of important and varied information regarding these notorious trials. The subjects of this collection of trials take a wide range. They comprise murder, high treason, sedition, forgery, robbery, fraud, hamesucken, assault, intimidation, rioting, housebreaking, mutiny, unlawful oaths, piracy, abduction, fire-raising, resetting, highway robbery, witchcraft, duelling, high crimes, libel, and civil actions. They relate to the whole of the United Kingdom, and include many of the most notable cases tried in these islands. kindred nature is an extraordinary series of criminal indictments, informations, and similar documents referring to a great number of cases from the year 1711 onwards. Nearly all of them relate to Scotland.

Of a

In Fine Art there are several notable books. Mr. Gray has almost complete sets of the beautiful works of M. Lacroix, Philip Gilbert Hamerton, and John Ruskin. The Ruskinian books include not only nearly everything written by the great art critic, but also some of the works referred to by him. Hogarth's Works, atlas folio, London, 1822, containing 119 proof plates, all on India paper, with biographical essay and explanations by Nicholls, is a very valuable volume. The same may be said of Alex. Deuchar's British Crests, 2 volumes, 1817; David Deuchar's Etchings, 3 vols., 1803; and Strutt's Sports and Pastimes of the English People, with coloured illustrations. Other artistic books are Blake's works, Stirling-Maxwell's works, Meyrick's Ancient Armour, Mrs. Jameson's works, A Beckitt's comic histories, etc. Rare and curious, and possessing a Glasgow interest, is the Expert Swordsman's Companion, or, the true art of self-defence, with an account of the author's life, etc., by Donald M'Bane, published at Glasgow in 1728. It has some quaint cuts. Of books illustrated by Bewick, Mr. Gray has the Quadrupeds, Esop's and Select Fables, and Birds-all first editions. Some of Dibdin's bibliographical works are also in the library.

Enough has been written to show the prominent features of Mr. Gray's library, but many a page might be penned upon so fertile a text, and, indeed, nothing short of an entire catalogue would be necessary to adequately portray a collection where special subjects have been so successfully cultivated.

CHAPTER XV.

LIBRARY OF JAMES WYLLIE GUILD, ESQ., PARK TERRACE, GLASGOW.

Beauty of the Library-Its Extent-Books of Hours-Shakespeare-Curious History of a Copy of the Second Folio-Shakespeariana-Spenser's "Faerie Queen"—First Editions of Byron, Shelley, and Keats -A Book from the Queen's Library-Songs and Ballads-Scottish Poetry, Biography, and HistoryExtensive and valuable Collection of Works on Marie Stuart-Three Hundred and Fifteen Portraits of the Queen of Scots-Some of the Rare Works—A Volume which belonged to the Queen; Songs on her Marriage with the Dauphin-Vindication of Elizabeth-Glasgow Books-Rare and highly-interesting Copy of Boyd's" Last Battell of the Soule," printed before the hitherto supposed First Edition-Fine Art: Ruskin, Bewick-Bibliography-Splendid Collection of Autograph Letters.

A FEELING of dismay was our first sensation on entering Mr. Wyllie Guild's library. The sight was at once delightful and embarrassing. So large, so varied, so rich, and so beautiful, how was it possible to do justice to it in a necessarily brief sketch and from a few visits? To treat it adequately one would require to own it, or live in it, and to have as large an interest in, and possess as wide a knowledge of, the many subjects which it specially illustrates, as the owner himself.

Two beautiful and spacious rooms leading from the drawing-room contain the major portion of the collection. They are fitted with elegant open bookcases of