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A
Bibliography of Bibliography
OR A
HANDY BOOK ABOUT BOOKS
WHICH RELATE TO BOOKS
BEING AN ALPHABETICAL CATALOGUE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT WORKS DESCRIPTIVE OF
THE LITERATURE OF GREAT BRITAIN AND AMERICA, AND MORE THAN
A FEW RELATIVE TO FRANCE AND GERMANY
By JOSEPH SABIN
Author of "A Dictionary of Books relating to America," etc.
"A souldier without arms may be valiant, but notvictorious; an artizan without his instruments maybe skillful but not famous; ... To aim at learning withoutbookes is with Danaides, to draw water in a sieve."—R. Williams, 1630.
New York
J. SABIN & SONS 84 NASSAU STREET
1877
PREFACE.
THIS brochureowes its existence to Mr. Power's Handy Book about Books, a largeportion of which was reproduced in the American Bibliopolist.An examination of so much as Mr. Power had done on the subjectof bibliography, led me to the conclusion that he had not made apersonal examination of the books described, and that the eminentindividuals, whom he thanks as having rendered him valuable assistance,must have had rather limited bibliographical resources; indeed, thegeneral result was so disappointing that I determined to endeavor animprovement, and the result is the present list which is about fourtimes the extent of Mr. Power's, and includes all the titles quotedby him, some of which we should have preferred to omit. Still it isnot a complete bibliography, for the most excellent reason that such awork is beyond any one man's capacity; but it is hoped it will proveuseful to those librarians and general readers who desire informationconcerning books about books.
Those who seek further information on the subject may consult withmuch advantage Petzholdt's Bibliotheca Bibliographica, which isconspicuous for the faithful and painstaking care exhibited in itscompilation, and in which the titles are treated with that minuteattention to classification which is preëminently the characteristic ofthe German mind, while our list is conspicuous for the absence of anyattempt at such a classification.
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I cannot close this brief notice without tendering my thanks toMr. Charles A. Cutter of the Boston Athenæum for his valuable aid.When librarians in general can approach his standard of libraryintelligence, there will cease to be that plentiful lack of knowledgeby which some of them are now distinguished.
JOSEPH SABIN.
New York, February 28, 1877.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY.
Abbot (Ezra). Literature of the Doctrine of a Future Life: or,a Catalogue of Books relating to the Nature, Origin, and Destiny of theSoul, &c. 8vo.
Philadelphia. 1864.
This is the bibliographical appendix to Mr. Alger's Doctrine ofa Future Life, some copies of which were issued separately.
Abrahams (N. C. L.) Description des manuscrits françaisdu moyen