Note 119 — The Cabinet.

Le Pere Louys Jacob published his "Traicté des plus belles Bibliothéques publiques et particulières, qui ont esté, et qui sont à présents dans le monde," at Paris, in 1644—again in 1655, 8vo.—in which he first brought together the scattered notices relating to libraries, especially to modern ones. His work is well worth consultation; although Baillet and Morhof do not speak in direct terms of praise concerning it—and the latter seems a little angry at his giving the preference to the Parisian libraries over those of other countries. It must be remembered that this was published as an unfinished production: as such, the author's curiosity and research are highly to be commended. I have read the greater part of it with considerable satisfaction. The same person meditated the execution of a vast work in four folio volumes—called "La Bibliothéque universelle de tous les Autheurs de France, qui ont escrits en quelque sorte de sciences et de langues"—which, in fact, was completed in 1638: but, on the death of the author it does not appear what became of it. Jacob also gave an account of books as they were published at Paris, and in other parts of France, from the year 1643 to 1650; which was printed under the title of Bibliographia Parisina, Paris, 1651, 4to. Consult Polyhist. Liter., vol. i., pp. 189, 202: Bibl. Creven., vol. v., pp. 281, 287. Jugemens des Savans, vol. ii., p. 151.