Bibliophobia. Remarks on the present languid and depressed state of literature and the book trade. In a letter addressed to the author of the Bibliomania / by Mercurius Rusticus [pseud.] With notes by Cato Parvus.
- Thomas Frognall Dibdin
- Date:
- 1832
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Bibliophobia. Remarks on the present languid and depressed state of literature and the book trade. In a letter addressed to the author of the Bibliomania / by Mercurius Rusticus [pseud.] With notes by Cato Parvus. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![shop, I stumbled upon a dingy little tome, enti- tled “ Elogin Sepulchralia,” Ac., of which one P. F.* was the author—and was mightily pleased with the motto in the title-page, which runs thus: “ Miramur periisse Homines? Monumenta fatiscunt.” Auson. “ Nescia Musarum sed Monumenta niori.” Ovid. Englished by a Wit of the Age: “ Men timely die, and Princes day by day Moulder to dust: but Books will live for Aye, And re-embalm us in the coldest day! ” On reading it, I could not but be struck with its application to your projected History of the Uni- versity of Oxford:—and was almost horrified to find a copy of the Prospectus on Mr. Talboy’s counter, defaced and rendered scarcely legible by dust and ashes. That energetic Bibliopole sympathised sincerely on its failure: adding, that, although the said Prospectus had been depo- sited at every common Room, and with every Head of a House—many of them also with the leading Tutors of the University—yet, the im- pression of his mind was, that only one assenting * “ Typis impressit Author P. F. [Payne Fisher] Ex Equestri Familia Generosus: necnon tarn Collegii, quatn Campi, Graduatus. Loud. 1675. 8vo. Impensis Authoris, et in Authoris usuni solum Typis exarata.” By no means an every-day book. M. R.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b29331456_0082.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
