Note 419 — The Alcove.

Lysander is right. Since the note upon Mr. Ford's catalogue of 1810 was written (see p. 123, ante), the same bookseller has put forth another voluminous catalogue, of nine thousand and odd articles; forming, with the preceding, 15,729 lots. This is doing wonders for a provincial town; and that a commercial one!! Of Mr. Gutch's spirit and enterprise some mention has been made before at p. 404, ante. He is, as yet, hardly mellowed in his business; but a few years only will display him as thoroughly ripened as any of his brethren. He comes from a worthy stock; long known at our Alma Mater Oxoniensis:—and as a dutiful son of my University Mother, and in common with every one who is acquainted with his respectable family, I wish him all the success which he merits. Mr. George Dyer of Exeter is a distinguished veteran in the book-trade: his catalogue of 1810, in two parts, containing 19,945 articles, has, I think, never been equalled by that of any provincial bookseller, for the value and singularity of the greater number of the volumes described in it. As Lysander had mentioned the foregoing book-vending gentlemen, I conceived myself justified in appending this note. I could speak with pleasure and profit of the catalogues of booksellers to the north of the Tweed—(see p. 415, ante); but for fear of awaking all the frightful passions of wrath, jealousy, envy—I stop: declaring, from the bottom of my heart, in the language of an auld northern bard: