The Book-Hunter

The Book-Hunter, by John Hill
Burton

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Title: The Book-Hunter A New Edition, with a Memoir of the Author
Author: John Hill Burton

Release Date: July 24, 2007 [eBook #22136]
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THE BOOK-HUNTER
[Illustration: Yours truly, J.H. Burton]
THE BOOK-HUNTER
etc.
by
JOHN HILL BURTON D.C.L., LL.D.
Author of 'A History of Scotland,' 'The Scot Abroad,' 'The Reign of
Queen Anne,' &c.
A New Edition With a Memoir of the Author

William Blackwood and Sons Edinburgh and London
MDCCCLXXXII All Rights reserved

PUBLISHER'S NOTE.
The learned Author of 'THE BOOK-HUNTER,' very shortly before his
death, gave his consent that the Work should be reprinted.
This has now been done from his own copy, with any slight additions or
emendations which it, or the notes of literary friends, supplied, and in a
form which, it is hoped, will be acceptable to all lovers of choice books.
A Memoir of Dr Burton, by his Widow, has been prefixed, and a

copious Index added.
The portrait of the Author has been reproduced from a characteristic
photograph, and etched by Mr W.B. Hole, A.R.S.A. The View in the
Library, and the Vignettes of Craighouse and Dalmeny, have been
drawn by Miss Rose Burton, and engraved by Miss E.P. Burton.
45 GEORGE STREET, EDINBURGH, May 1882.

THE AUTHOR'S ADVERTISEMENT TO THE SECOND EDITION.
The Author, in again laying his little book before the public, has taken
advantage of some suggestions kindly contributed by the critics who
reviewed the previous edition, and he has thus been enabled to correct a
few inaccuracies which they have courteously characterised as mere
errors of the press. Productions of this indefinite kind are apt to grow in
the hands of an author; and in the course of his revision he was unable
to resist the temptation to throw in a few additional touches here and
there, as to which he can only hope that they will not deteriorate the
volume in the eyes of those who thought well of it in its old shape.
1863.
[Illustration]

[Illustration]
CONTENTS.
PAGE MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR, i
THE BOOK-HUNTER.

Part I.--His Nature.
INTRODUCTORY, 1 A VISION OF MIGHTY BOOK-HUNTERS,
14 REMINISCENCES, 59 CLASSIFICATION, 62 THE PROWLER
AND THE AUCTION-HAUNTER, 88

Part II.--His Functions.
THE HOBBY, 101 THE DESULTORY READER OR BOHEMIAN
OF LITERATURE, 108 THE COLLECTOR AND THE SCHOLAR,
115 THE GLEANER AND HIS HARVEST, 124 PRETENDERS, 161
HIS ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE CREATION OF LIBRARIES, 168
THE PRESERVATION OF LITERATURE, 205 LIBRARIANS, 227
BIBLIOGRAPHIES, 233

Part III.--His Club.
CLUBS IN GENERAL, 243 THE STRUCTURE OF THE BOOK
CLUBS, 251 THE ROXBURGHE CLUB, 265 SOME BOOK-CLUB
MEN, 283

Part IV.--Book-Club Literature.
GENERALITIES, 311 JOHN SPALDING, 330 ROBERT WODROW,
338 THE EARLY NORTHERN SAINTS, 352 SERMONS IN
STONES, 404
INDEX, 419

List of Illustrations.
PORTRAIT OF THE AUTHOR, Frontispiece. THE AVENUE,
CRAIGHOUSE, i CRAIGHOUSE, lix DALMENY CHURCHYARD,
civ A NOOK IN THE AUTHOR'S LIBRARY, 1

[Illustration: The Avenue, Craighouse.]
MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR.
CHAPTER I.
ABERDEEN.
Parentage--Patons--Grandholm--Jersey--"Peninsular War"--School
and schoolmasters--Flogging--College--Competition for
bursaries--Home life--Aunt and grand-aunt--Holiday rambles--Letter.
John Hill Burton, the subject of this notice, was born on the 22d of
August 1809, in the Gallowgate of Aberdeen. He was wont to style
himself, as in his childhood he had heard himself described, "The last
of the Gallowgate bairns;" the Gallowgate being an old part of
Aberdeen devoted chiefly to humble trade, no one, in modern times at
least, even distantly connected with gentility living there.
His father, William Kinninmont Burton, is believed to have been an
only son, and no kith or kin of his were ever seen or heard of by his
children. The only relic of their father's family possessed by them is a
somewhat interesting miniature on ivory, well painted in the
old-fashioned style, representing a not beautiful lady in antique
head-dress and costume, and marked on the back "Mary Burton."
William Kinninmont Burton held a commission in the army, though he
had not been originally intended for a military life. He was, it is
supposed, engaged in trade in London when the military enthusiasm,
excited by the idea of an invasion of Great Britain by Napoleon, fired
him,