Note 66 — ANNALS OF THE BODLEIAN LIBRARY.

The extraordinary fancy prices sometimes given for books, and their variations, are particularly exemplified in the case of the first folio Shakespeare. In 1778 Stevens said it was 'usually valued at seven or eight' guineas. (Shakespeare, second edit. vol. i. p. 239.) At the Roxburghe sale (a sufficiently bibliomaniacal one) in 1812 a copy was sold for £100; in 1864 Miss Burdett Coutts gave for Mr. G. Daniel's specially fine copy, £716 2s.; while in July, 1867, a copy belonging to a Mr. — Smith was sold for £410. In Dec. 1867 another copy was on sale at Mr. Beet's, the bookseller, to which the owner very discreetly attached in his catalogue no specific sum.