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 280 each bidding, until five shillings were offered, when it rose to sixpence; and by this manner of disposing of property, no book was overlooked.

Mr. Patterson's reading was so extensive, that I firmly believe he had read most of the works he offered for sale in the English language; and I was induced to believe so from the following circumstance. I happened to be with him one evening, after three cart-loads of books had been brought into the auction-room, to be catalogued for sale; when, upon his taking up one, which he declared to me he had never seen, he called to the boy who attended him to bring another candle and throw some coals upon the fire, observing, that he meant to sit up to read it. I have also frequently known him, on the days of sale, call the attention of the bidders to some book with which he considered that collectors were but little acquainted. In one instance, he addressed himself to Dr. Lort nearly in the following words. "Dr. Lort, permit me to draw your attention to this little book. It contains, at page 47, a very curious anecdote respecting Sir Edmondbury Godfrey, of which I was not aware until I read it during the time I was making my catalogue." I recollect two shillings had been