On Early Printed Books.

ness , merit , or beauty , was too often a failing with welleducated persons . Though there might still exist the liking for large paper copies and uncut copies , first editions , sensibly illustrated works , and books printed on vellum . All these will probably have intrinsical worth and beauty ; and even the desire of possessing them was itself more wiselregulated than it was when

y the biblomania was described and attacked by the Abbe Rive , Dibdin , Dr . Ferrier , and Rev . James Beresford . Much of this improvement has been readily effected by some of the probable means of cure of the bibliomania suggested by the sagacity of Dr . Dibdin , so long back as 1809 . But the " Retrospective Review , " which was commenced in 1820 aud extended to 14

volumes-ren-, , dered a very material service to a general understanding of the merits and contents of many of the best old books . In 1812 was established the Roxburghe Club , being the first of those societies the members of which printed curious old books and poetry for presentation to each other . This was succeeded by the Baunatyne Club in 182 S , the Maitland Club in 1828 , and the Surtess Society

and the Abbotsford Club in 1834 . A great number of excellent and interesting volumes were produced by all these associations , many of them being from original memoirs and manuscripts of great historical value , never before printed . But they were for the most part both exclusive and expensive ; and it was not until the formation of the Camden Societyin 1838 and those other

, , literary printing societies which followed it down to the year 1846 , that the public generally could derive much benefit from the system . Although they certainly perpetuated one great characteristic of the bibliomania , a love for privately-printed books , by such associations the knowledge and appreciation of the old literature of England became more widelextendedand the collectors of

y , books brought with them more discrimination , either to assist in the pursuit of a special subject , or to bring together some interesting specimens of old works which might illustrate the history or the literature , the arts , or the manners of certain periods , and so become interesting and instructive to all .

Masonic Facts.

MASONIC FACTS .

1 . The earliest notice of an associated body of artificers , Eomans , who had established themselves in Britain , is a votive inscri ption ( about A . D ., 52 ) , in which the College of Masons dedicated a temple fo Neptune and Minerva , and the safety of the family of Claudius Cresar . It was discovered at

Chichester in 1725 , and is now preserved at Goodwood , near that city , the seat of ~ the Duke of Eichmond . —Uallaway ' s Architecture , p . 401 . 2 . A . D ., 306 to 336 . The name of one architect of Constantine ' s time is preserved , and that one is Metrodorus , a Persian , who erected numerous baths ,

fortifications , & c , at Constantinople . —Milizia , Tite depiu celebri Architetti , p . 129 . Roma , 1768 . 3 . From the death of Constantine , A . D . 336 , to the end of Justinian in 565 , Melizia names only nine architects ; most , if not all , were Greeks . To Alyppius of Antioch , was committed in 363 the

rebuilding of the Temple of Jerusalem . —Ibid , p . 130 . Ciriadeswas employed by the Emperor Theodosius , who began to reign in 379 , to build a new basilica , and a bridge . — Ibid , p . 130 . Entinopus , of Candia , was the ori ginal builder of Venicein 4 i 20 . —Helvici Clronolocjia , p . 131 . Eterius , architect to the Emperor Anastasius , who reigned in 491 , and built for him , in the great Palace

of Constantinople , an erection called Chalci . —Ibid , p . 134 . Anthemius of Tralli , and Isodore of Miletus , built the Chinch of Santa Sophia , at Constantinople , in the time of Justinian , who began to reign in 527 . — Ibidp . 137 .

, Isidore of Constantinople , the nephew of Isidore of Miletus , and John of Miletus , built the city of Zenobia , in Syria . —Ibid , p . 137 . Crises was of Alexandria , and flourished in the 6 th century . —p . 137 , Melizia , Tite depiu celebri Architetti .

4 . The Romans during their occupation of Britain erected numerous buildings , the remains of some are still in existence , on which Masons marks have been found , thus showing that the artificers in those days were duly and properly organised . —( Fig . 1 . ) 5 . Masonic implements found on the tomb of an Architect , it is a Latin Sculpture of the first ages of the church . —Dtitron ' s Icnoqraphv , Yol . I . p . 356 . — ( Fig . 2 . )

7 . Aurelius in 488 repaired the churches in Britain and sent for Artificers , Masons , " Cementarios" and Carpenters , " lignarios " for that purpose . —Matthew of Westminster , sub anno 488 . 8 . In France the early monks worked as Masons the most intelligent being employed to conduct and

superintend such operations without making use of seculars . Gregory of Tours mentions one of his predecessors , Leon , Bishop of Tours , as an Architect , and says that he had seen edifices constructed by hirn . —Hawkins' Gothic Architecture , p . 49 . 9 . The Abbey Church of St . Germain des Prez .

founded in honour of the relicts of St . Vincent , in 557 . The ceremony of dedication was performed on 23 rd December , 55 S , a short time before the death of Childebert . This monarch was bnried near the high altar . St . Germain is supposed to have designed the church —Hist , de VAbbaye Boyale de St . Germain des Prez , par Dom Jacques Bouillart No . I , and Hawkins Gothic Architecture , p . 49 .

10 . Although we are not in possession of any Mason ' s marks from Saxon buildings , yet there is proof that our Saxon forefathers were acquainted with some of the Masonic emblems . A few years ago , there was discovered at Harnham Hill , near Salisbury , a beautiful bronze fibula , with the

Pentalpha thereon , and in the centre of the same a bead of blue vitrified paste . This fibula is uni que , being the only one as yet discovered which has a geometrical figure for its chief ornament . It is supposed to have been made between 646 and 672 . —Arclusohaia , vol . 35 , p . 12 . —( Fig . 3 . )

11 . Benedict Biscop commenced building the Monastery of Jarrow in 674 . In 675 he went to France , and brought back with him skilful Masons to build the church after the manner of the Roman architects . —Bede ' s Hist . Abbat . Wernemouth , pp . 295 , 297 , edit Cantab .

12 . In the Cottonian MSS . in the British Museum , there is preserved a series of ten drawings illustrating incidents in the life of St . Guthlac , who was born in 673 , and died on April 11 , 714 . One of them represents the Saint building his chapel . He is seen drawing up stones in a basket , which a workman