Note M. Denis — The Cabinet.

[156] Michael Denis, the translator of Ossian, and a bibliographer of justly established eminence, was principal librarian of the Imperial library at Vienna, and died in the year 1800, at the age of 71. His Supplement to Maittaire's Typographical Annals, in two parts or volumes, 1789, 4to., is a work of solid merit, and indispensable to the possessor of its precursor. The bibliographical references are very few; but the descriptions of the volumes are minutely accurate. The indexes also are excellent. In the year 1793, Denis published the first volume (in three thick parts in folio) of his Codices Manuscripti Theologici Bibl. Palat. Vindob.; a production which the reader will find somewhat fully described in the ensuing pages. The second volume appeared after his death in 1801. In 1795-6, came forth his second edition of an Introduction to the Knowledge of Books, in two quarto volumes; unfortunately written in the German language—but mentioned with approbation in the first volume of the Mem. de l'Inst., p. 648. Consult also Peignot's Dict. de Bibliologie, vol. i., p. 122; ii., 232.——Armand Gaston Camus is a bibliographer of very first rate reputation. The reader has only to peruse the following titles of some of his works, and he will certainly bewail his ill fortune if they are not to be found in his library. 1. Observations sur la distribution et le classement des livres d'une Bibliothéque: 2. Additions aux mêmes; 3. Memoire sur un livre Allemand (which is the famous Tewrdannckhs; and about which is to be hoped that Mr. Douce will one day favour us with his curious remarks): 4. Addition au même: 5. Memoire sur l'histoire et les procédés du Polytypage et de la Stéréotypie: 6. Rapport sur la continuation de la Collection des Historiens de France, et de celle des Chartres et Diplomes: 7. Notice d'un livre imprimé à Bamberg en 1462. All these works are thus strung together, because they occur in the first three volumes of the Memoires de l'Institut. This curious book, printed at Bamberg, was discovered by a German clergyman of the name of Stenier, and was first described by him in the Magasin Hist.-Litt., bibliogr. Chemintz, 1792: but Camus's memoir is replete with curious matter, and is illustrated with fac-simile cuts. In the "Notices et Extraits des MSS. de la Bibl. Nationale," vol. vi., p. 106, will be found a most interesting memoir by him, relating to two ancient manuscript bibles, in two volumes folio, adorned with a profusion of pictures: of some of which very elegant fac-similes are given. These pictures are 5152 in number! each of them having a Latin and French verse beautifully written and illuminated beneath.—Camus supposes that such a work could not now be executed under 100,000 francs!—"Where (exclaims he) shall we find such modern specimens of book-luxury?" In the year 1802, he published an admirable "Mémoire sur la collection des grands et petits voyages, et sur la Collection des Voyages des Melchesedech Thevenot," 4to., with an excellent "Table des Matières." Of his own journey into the Low Countries, recently published, I never met with a copy. All the preceding works, with the exception of the last, are in my own humble collection.