Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 5.djvu/59

 io"> 8. V.JAN. 20, 1906.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

43

vehicular would undoubtedly give rise to vehicular metaphors. That being granted, I trust that my suggestions (1) that gamlo is akin to combennones, and (2) that combennones explains combinare better than eon+fom, may not be regarded as too foolish to warrant discussion. J. P. OWEN.

FIRST BOOK AUCTIONS IN ENGLAND. (See 9 th S. vi. 86, 156, 318, 391.)

THAT Dr. L. Seaman's sale, 31 Oct., IfiTG, was the first book auction in England cannot, I think, be doubted. In the preface to this catalogue the auctioneer says :

" It hath not been usual here in England to make Sale of Books by way of Auction, or who will give most for them : But it having been practised in other Countreys to the Advantage both of Buyers and Sellers ; It was therefore conceived (for the Encouragement of Learning.) to publish the Sale of these Books this manner of way; and it is hoped that this will not be unacceptable to Schollers."

On p. 30 of W. Rea's auction catalogue, 19 June, 1682, the auctioneer, W. Cooper, gives a complete list of sales by auction up to that date, as follows :

"To supply the vacancy of this page, and to gratifie the Curious, whose Genius may lead them to make perfect their Collection, I have caused to be Printed the Names of those Persons whose Libraries have been sold by Auction, and the series of the time when.

1. D. L. Seaman, Oct. 31, 1676.

2. M. Th. Kidner, Feb. 6, 1676/7.

3. M. Wil. Greenhill, Feb. 18, 1677/8.

4. 1). Th. Manton, Mar. 25, 1678.

5. D. Benj. Worsley, May 13, 1678.

6. D. Jo. Godolphin, M. Ow. Philips, Nov. 11, 1678.

7. D. Gisb. Voetius, Nov. 25, 1678.

8. Lord Brook, D. Gabr. Sangar, Dec. 2, 1678.

9. M. Moses Pit, e Theatro Oxon, Feb. 24, 1678/9.

10'. M. St. Watkins, D. Th. Shirley, Append. M. Rich. Chiswel, Jun. 2, 1679.

11. Sir Edw. Bish, Nov. 15, 1679,

12. M. Jon. Edwin, Bibl., cum Append. M. Dan, Mar. 29, 1680.

13. Sir Ken. Digby, Apr. 19, 1680.

14. M. St. Charnock, Oct. 4, 1680.

15. D. Th. Watson, Oct. 8, 1680.

16. M. Abell Roper, Bibl., Nov. 22, 1630.

17. D. H. Stubb, 1). Dillingham, D. Th. Vincent, D. Canton, M. Jo. Dunton, Nov. 29, 1680.

18. Ed. Palmer, Esq., Feb. 14, 1680/1.

19. 1). Th. Jessop, D. Castell, Feb. 21, 1680/1.

20. M. f^am. Brook, Mar. 21, 1680/1.

21. M. Geo. Lawson, M. Geo. Fawler, M. Ow. Stockden, M. Th. Brooks, May 30, 1681.

22. Pet. Cardonell, June 6, 1681.

23. M. Nic. Lloyd, July 4, 1681.

24. D. N. Paget, Oct. 24, 1681.

25. M. R. Button, M. Th. Owen, M. Wil. Hoel, Nov. 7, 1681.

26. Chr. Wilkinson, Th. Dring, Bibl., Dec. 5, 1681.

27. D. Wil. Outram, D. Th. Gataker, Dec. 12. 1681.

28. Robert Croke, Esq., Feb. 23, 1681/2.

29. Mr. Richard Smith, May 15. 1682.

30. Walt. Rea, Esq., June 19, 1682."

This list seems disinterested, and not a. self - advertisement on the part of the- auctioneer. I have seen many of the cata- logues mentioned in the list, and, though, some of the sales were held by Cooper, several were held by other auctioneers.

EDW A ED B. HARRIS.

5, Sussex Place, Regent's Park, N. W.

LONDON IMPROVEMENT. ( Concluded from p. 2. )

THE new Courts of Justice form a grand group at the City boundary formerly marked by Temple Bar, there seen no longer. The- Courts have made a last stand for Gothic,, and, so far as the appearance of the metro- polis is concerned, with great success ; but equal satisfaction seems not to have been found with the interior accommodation.

Railway stations necessarily take their places among the prominent erections since the forties. The conditions imposed on them render their architecture difficult. An. elevation towards the street is practicable, but this forms only a screen to hide the purely utilitarian character of the railway rear. Great attempts have been made at Paddington, Charing Cross, Cannon Street, Liverpool Street, and St. Pancras. Their style, with the exception of the last named, is perhaps a kind of colossal Italian. That at Charing Cross seems to apologize for its intrusion into an historic locality by exhibiting a costly reproduction of the former Gothic memorial to the " Chore Reine " with whom willing, but mistaken conjecture has associated the local name. At St. Pancras a bold attempt was made to show that a medieval form might be given to an erection of the railway period, and very handsome the elevation is ; but when a glimpse is caught of the practical rear the forced blend of associations is not happy.

Trafalgar Square, " the finest site in Europe,' is now almost old. The architecture of the Regency in the National Gallery is not much esteemed, but its situation saves it. The effigy of Nelson makes somewhat strange use of the colossal Corinthian column ; but it has become sacred to the nation's hero, and woe to the gedile who would molest it ! Landseer's lions, too, are there ; and around the famous little admiral other heroes have mustered. The fountains are still meagre, and, with