A Bibliographical, Antiquarian and Picturesque Tour in France and Germany, Volume Three | Page 7

is cheered by a sight of the
architecture of the sixteenth century. It is in this immediate vicinity,
that the _Hôtel de Ville_ is situated; a building, full of curious and
interesting relics of sculpture in wood and stone. Just before it, is a
fountain of black marble, where the women come to fetch water, and
the cattle to drink. Walking in a straight line with the front of the public
library (which is at right angles with the Hôtel de Ville) you gain the
best view of this Hotel, in conjunction with the open space, or market
place, and of the churches in the distance. About this spot, Mr. Lewis
fixed himself, with his pencil and paper in hand, and produced a
drawing from which I select the following felicitous portion.
[Illustration: Drawing]
But to return to the Public Library. You are to know therefore, that The
Public Library of Stuttgart contains, in the whole, about 130,000

volumes. Of these, there are not fewer than 8200 volumes relating to
the _Sacred Text_: exclusively of duplicates. This library has been
indeed long celebrated for its immense collection of Bibles. The late
King of Würtemberg, but more particularly his father, was chiefly
instrumental to this extraordinary collection:--and yet, of the very
earlier Latin impressions, they want the Mazarine, or the Editio
Princeps; and the third volume of Pfister's edition. Indeed the first
volume of their copy of the latter wants a leaf or two of prefatory
matter. They have two copies of the first German Bible, by
Mentelin[7]--of which one should be disposed of, for the sake of
contributing to the purchase of the earliest edition of the Latin series.
Each copy is in the original binding; but they boast of having a
complete series of German Bibles before the time of Luther; and of
Luther's earliest impression of 1524, printed by Peypus, they have a
fine copy UPON VELLUM, like that in the Althorp Library; but I think
taller. Of Fust's Bible of 1462, there is but an indifferent and cropt copy,
upon paper; but of the Polish Bible of 1563, there is a very fine one, in
the first oaken binding. Of English Bibles, there is no edition before
that of 1541, of which the copy happens to be imperfect. They have a
good large copy, in the original binding, of the _Sclavonian Bible_ of
1581. Yet let me not dismiss this series of earlier Bibles, printed in
different languages, without noticing the copies of _Italian versions_ of
August and October 1471. Of the August impression, there is unluckily
only the second volume; but such another second volume will not
probably be found in any public or private library in Europe. It is just
as if it had come fresh from the press of Vindelin de Spira, its printer.
Some of the capital letters are illuminated in the sweetest manner
possible. The leaves are white, unstained, and crackling; and the
binding is of wood. Of the October impression, the copy is unequal:
that is to say, the first volume is cruelly cut, but the second is fine and
tall. It is in blue morocco binding. I must however add, in this biblical
department, that they possess a copy of our Walton's Polyglott with the
original dedication to King Charles II.; of the extreme rarity of which
M. Le Bret was ignorant.[8]
I now come to the CLASSICS. Of course the two Virgils of 1471 were
the first objects of my examination. The Roman edition was badly

bound in red morocco; that of Adam was in its original binding of wood.
When I opened the latter, it was impossible to conceal my gratification.
I turned to M. Le Bret, and then to the book--and to the Head Librarian,
and to the book--again and again! "How now, Mons. Le Bibliographe?"
(exclaimed the professor--for M. Le Bret is a Professor of belles-lettres),
"I observe that you are perfectly enchanted with what is before you?"
There was no denying the truth of the remark--and I could plainly
discern that the worthy Head Librarian was secretly enjoying the
attestations of my transport. "The more I look at these two volumes
(replied I, very leisurely and gravely,) the more I am persuaded that
they will become the property of Earl Spencer." M. Le Bret laughed
aloud at the strangeness of this reply. I proceeded to take a particular
account of them.[9]
Here is an imperfect copy of an edition of Terence, by Reisinger, in
folio; having only 130 leaves, and twenty-two lines in a full page.[10]
It is the first copy of this edition which I ever saw; and I am much
deceived if it be exceeded by any edition of the same author in rarity:
and when I say this, I am not unmindful of the