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Thomas Frognall Dibdin - A Bibliographical, Antiquarian and Picturesque Tour in France and Germany, Volume One

T >> Thomas Frognall Dibdin >> A Bibliographical, Antiquarian and Picturesque Tour in France and Germany, Volume One




But the obliquities of Martin assume a less questionable aspect, when we
contemplate a noble work, which he not only projected, but left behind
ready for publication. It is thus entitled: _Athenae Normannorum veteres ac
recentes, seu syllabus Auctorum qui oriundi e Normannia, &c._ It consists
of one volume, in MS., having the authority of government, to publish it,
prefixed. There is a short Latin preface, by Martin, followed by two pages
of Latin verses beginning thus:

_In Auctorum Normannicorum Syllabum.
Prolusio metrica.
En Syllabus prodit palam
Contextus arte sedula
Ex litteratae Neustriae
Auctoribus celebribus._
&c. &c.

Among the men, the memories of whom throw a lustre upon Caen,[129] was the
famous SAMUEL BOCHART; at once a botanist, a scholar, and a critic of
distinguished celebrity. He was a native of Rouen, and his books (many of
them replete with valuable ms. notes) are among the chief treasures of the
public library, here. Indeed there is a distinct catalogue of them, and the
funds left by their illustrious owner form the principal support of the
library establishment. Bochart's portrait, with those of many other
benefactors to the library, adorns the walls; suspended above the books:
affording a very agreeable coup-d'oeil. Indeed the principal division of
the library, the further end of which commands a pleasant prospect, is
worthy of an establishment belonging to the capital of an empire. The
kindness of M. Hebert, and of his assistant, rendered my frequent
sojournings therein yet more delectable. The portrait of his uncle, M.
MOYSANT, is among the ornaments of the chief room. Though Moysant was large
of stature, his lungs were feeble, and his constitution was delicate. At
the age of nineteen, he was appointed professor of grammar and rhetoric in
the college of Lisieux. He then went to Paris, and studied under Beau and
Batteux; when, applying himself more particularly to the profession of
physic, he returned to Caen, in his thirtieth year, and put on the cap of
Doctor of medicine; but he wanted either nerves or stamina for the
successful exercise of his profession. He had cured a patient, after
painful and laborious attention, of a very serious illness; but his patient
chose to take liberties too soon with his convalescent state. He was
imprudent: had a relapse; and was hurried to his grave. Moysant took it
seriously to heart, and gave up his business in precipitancy and disgust.
In fact, he was of too sanguine and irritable a temperament for the display
of that cool, cautious, and patient conduct, which it behoveth all young
physicians to adopt, ere they can possibly hope to attain the honours or
the wealth of the _Halfords_ and _Matons_ of the day! Our Moysant returned
to the study of his beloved belles-lettres. At that moment, luckily, the
Society of the Jesuits was suppressed; and he was called by the King, in
1763, to fill the chair of Rhetoric in one of the finest establishments of
that body at Caen. He afterwards successively became perpetual Secretary of
the Academy of Sciences, and Vice-President of the Society of Agriculture.
He was next dubbed by the University, Dean of the faculty of arts, and was
selected to pronounce the public oration upon the marriage of the
unfortunate Louis XVI. with Marie Antoinette. He was now a marked and
distinguished public character. The situation of PUBLIC LIBRARIAN was only
wanting to render his reputation complete, and _that_ he instantly obtained
upon the death of his predecessor. With these occupations, he united that
of instructing the English (who were always in the habit of visiting Caen,)
in the French language; and he obtained, in return, from some of his adult
pupils, a pretty good notion of the laws and liberties of Old England.

The Revolution now came on: when, like many of his respectable brethren, he
hailed it at first as the harbinger of national reformation and prosperity.
But he had soon reason to find that he had been deceived. However, in the
fervour of the moment, and upon the suppression of the monastic and other
public libraries, he received a very wide and unqualified commission to
search all the libraries in the department of _Calvados_, and to bring home
to Caen all the treasures he might discover. He set forth upon this mission
with truly public spirited ideas: resolving (says his nephew) to do for
Normandy what Dugdale and Dodsworth had done for England--and a _Monasticum
Neustriacum_ was the commendable object of his ambition. He promised much,
and perhaps did more than he promised. His curious collection (exclusively
of the cart-loads of books which were sent to Caen) was shewn to his
countrymen; but the guillotine was now the order of the day--when Moysant
"resolved to visit England, and submit to the English nobility the plan of
his work, as that nation always attached importance to the preservation of
the monuments, or literary materials, of the middle ages."--He knew
(continues the nephew) how proud the English were of their descent from the
Norman nobles, and it was only to put them in possession of the means of
preserving the unquestionable proofs of their origin. Moysant accordingly
came over with his wife, and they were both quickly declared emigrants;
their return was interdicted; and our bibliomaniac learnt, with
heart-rending regret, that they had resolved upon the sale of the national
property in France. He was therefore to live by his wits; having spiritedly
declined all offer of assistance from the English government. In this
dilemma he published a work entitled "_Bibliotheque des Ecrivains Francais,
ou choix des meilleurs morceaux en prose et en vers, extraits de leurs
ouvrages_,"--a collection, which was formed with judgment, and which was
attended with complete success. The first edition was in four octavo
volumes, in 1800; the second, in six volumes 1803; a third edition, I
think, followed, with a pocket dictionary of the English and French
languages. It was during his stay amongst us that he was deservedly
admitted a member of the Society of Antiquaries; but he returned to France
in 1802, before the appearance of the second edition of his _Bibliotheque_;
when, hawk-like, soaring or sailing in suspense between the
book-atmospheres of Paris and Caen, he settled within the latter place--and
again perched himself (at the united call of his townsmen) upon the chair
destined for the PUBLIC LIBRARIAN! It was to give order, method, and
freedom of access, to the enormous mass of books, which the dissolution of
the monastic libraries had caused to be accumulated at Caen, that Moysant
and his colleagues now devoted themselves with an assiduity as heroic as it
was unintermitting. But the health of our generalissimo, which had been
impaired during his residence in England, began to give way beneath such a
pressure of fatigue and anxiety. Yet it pleased Providence to prolong his
life till towards the close of the year 1813: when he had the satisfaction
of viewing his folios, quartos, octavos, and duodecimos, arranged in
regular succession, and fair array; when his work was honestly done; and
when future visitors had only to stretch forth their hands and gather the
fruit which he had placed within their reach. His death (we are told)[130]
was gentle, and like unto sleep. Religion had consoled him in his latter
moments; and after having reposed upon its efficacy, he waited with perfect
composure for the breathing of his last sigh! Let the name of MOYSANT be
mentioned with the bibliomaniacal honours which, are doubtless its due!...

From Librarians, revert we to books: to the books in the PUBLIC LIBRARY of
Caen. The oldest printed volume contained in it, and which had been bound
with a MS, on the supposition of its being a manuscript also, is
Numeister's impression of _Aretinus de Bella adversus Gothos_, 1470, folio;
the first book from the press of the printer. I undeceived M. Hebert, who
had supposed it to be a MS. The lettering is covered with horn, and the
book is bound in boards; "all proper." The oldest _Latin Bible_ they
possess, is of the date of 1485; but there is preserved one volume of
Sweynheym and Pannartz's impression of _De Lyra's Commentary upon the
Bible_, of the date of 1471-2, which luckily contains the list of books
printed by those printers in their memorable supplicatory letter to Pope
Sixtus IV. The earliest Latin Classic appears to be the _Juvenal_ of 1474,
with the _Commentary of Calderinus_, printed at Rome; unless a dateless
impression of _Lucan_, in the earliest type of Gering, with the verses
placed at a considerable distance from each other, claim chronological
precedence. There is also a _Valerius Maximus_ of 1475, by Caesaris and
Stol, but without their names. It is a large copy, soiled at the beginning.
Of the same date is Gering's impression of the _Legenda Sanctorum_; and
among the Fifteeners I almost coveted a very elegant specimen of _Jehan du
Pre's_ printing (with a device used by him never before seen by me,) of an
edition of _La Vie des Peres_, 1494, folio, in its original binding. I
collected, from the written catalogue, that they had only FORTY-FIVE works
printed in the FIFTEENTH CENTURY; and of these, none were of first-rate
quality.

Among the MSS., I was much struck with the beautiful penmanship of a work,
in three folio volumes, of the middle of the sixteenth century, entitled;
_Divertissemens touchant le faict de la guerre, extraits des livres de
Polybe, Frontin, Vegece, Cornazzan, Machiavel, et autres bons autheurs."_
It has no illuminations, but the scription is beautiful. A _Breviary of the
Church Service of Lisieux_, of the fifteenth century, has some pretty but
common illuminations. It is not however free from injury. Of more intrinsic
worth is a MS. entitled _Du Costentin_, (a district not far from Caen,)
with the following prefix in the hand-writing of Moysant. "Ces memoires
sont de M. Toustaint de Billy, cure du Mesnil au-parc, qui avoit travaille
toute sa vie a l'histoire du Cotentin. Ils sont rares et m'ont ete accordes
par M. Jourdan, Notaire, auquel ils appartenoient. Le p. (Pere) le Long et
Mons. Teriet de fontette ne les out pas connu. Moysantz." It is a small
folio, in a neat hand-writing. Another MS., or rather a compound of ms. and
printed leaves, of yet considerably more importance, in 3 folio volumes, is
entitled _Le Moreri des Normans, par Joseph Andrie Guiat de Rouen:_ on the
reverse of the title, we read, "_Supplement au Dictionnaire de Moreri pour
ce qui concerne la province de Normandie, et ses illustres_." A short
preface follows; then an ode "aux Grands Hommes de Normandie." It is
executed in the manner of a dictionary, running in alphabetical order. The
first volume extends to the letter I, and is illustrated with scraps from
newspapers, and a few portraits. It is written pretty fully in double
columns. The portrait and biography of _Bouzard_ form an admirable specimen
of biographical literary memoirs. The second volume goes to Z. The third
volume is entitled "_Les trois Siecles palinodiques, ou Histoire Generale
des Palinods de Rouen, Dieppe, &c._--by the same hand, with an equal
quantity of matter. It is right that such labours should be noticed, for
the sake of all future BLISS-like editors of provincial literature. There
is another similar work, in 2 folio ms. volumes, relating to _Coutance_.

Before we again touch upon printed books, but of a later period, it may be
right to inform you that the treasures of this Library suffered materially
from the commotions of the Calvinists. Those hot-headed interpreters of
scripture destroyed every thing in the shape of ornament or elegance
attached to book-covers; and piles of volumes, however sacred, or
unexceptionable on the score of good morals, were consigned to the fury of
the flames. Of the remaining volumes which I saw, take the following very
rapid sketch. Of _Hours_, or _Church Services_, there is a prodigiously
fine copy of an edition printed by _Vostre_, in 4to., upon paper, without
date. It is in the original ornamented cover, or binding, with a forest of
rough edges to the leaves--and doubtless the finest copy of the kind I ever
saw. Compared with this, how inferior, in every respect is a cropt copy of
_Kerver's_ impression of a similar work, printed upon vellum! This latter
is indeed a very indifferent book; but the rough usage it has met with is
the sole cause of such inferiority. I was well pleased with a fair, sound
copy of the _Speculum Stultorum_, in 4to., bl. letter, in hexameter and
pentameter verses, without date. Nor did I examine without interest a rare
little volume entitled "_Les Origines de quelques Coutumes anciennes, et de
plusieurs facons de parler triviales. Avec un vieux Manuscrit en vers,
touchant l'Origine des Chevaliers Bannerets_; printed at Caen in 1672,
12mo.: a curious little work. They have a fine (royal) copy of _Walton's
Polyglot_, with an excellent impression of the head; and a large paper copy
of _Stephen's Greek Glossary_; in old vellum binding, with a great number
of ms. notes by Bochart. Also a fine large paper _Photius_ of 1654, folio.
But among their LARGE PAPERS, few volumes tower with greater magnificence
than do the three folios of _La Sainte Bible_, printed by the Elzevirs at
Amsterdam, in 1669. They are absolutely fine creatures; of the stateliest
dimensions and most attractive forms. They also pretend that their large
paper copy of the first edition of _Huet's Praeparatio Evangelica_, in
folio, is unique. Probably it is, as the author presented it to the Library
himself. The _Basil Eustathius_ of 1559, in 3 volumes folio, is as glorious
a copy as is Mr. Grenville's of the Roman edition of 1542.[131] It is in
its pristine membranaceous attire--the vellum lapping over the fore-edges,
in the manner of Mr. Heber's copy of the first Aldine Aristotle,--most
comfortable to behold! There is a fine large paper copy of _Montaigne's
Essays_, 1635, folio, containing two titles and a portrait of the author.
It is bound in red morocco, and considered by M. Hebert a most rare and
desirable book. Indeed I was told that one Collector in particular was
exceedingly anxious to obtain it. I saw a fine copy of the folio edition of
_Ronsard_, printed in 1584, which is considered rare. There is also a copy
of the well known _Liber Nanceidos_, from Bochart's library, with a few ms.
notes by Bochart himself. Here I saw, for the first time, a French metrical
version of the works of _Virgil, by Robert and Anthony Chevaliers d'Agneaux
freres, de Vire, en Normandie_; published at Paris in 1582, in elegant
italic type; considered rare. The same translators published a version of
Horace; but it is not here. You may remember that I made mention of a
certain work (in one of my late letters) called _Les Vaudevires d'Olivier
Basselin_. They preserve here a very choice copy of it, in 4to., large
paper; and of which size only ten copies are said to be in existence. The
entire title is "_Les Vaudevires Poesies du XVme. siecle, par Olivier
Basselin, avec un Discours sur sa Vie et des Notes pour l'explication de
quelques anciens Mots: Vire, 1811_." 8vo. There are copies upon pink paper,
of which this is one--and which was in fact presented to the Library by the
Editors. Prefixed to it, is an indifferent drawing, in india ink,
representing the old castle of Vire, now nearly demolished, with Basselin
seated at a table along with three of his boosing companions, chaunting his
verses "a pleine gorge." This Basselin appears in short to have been the
French DRUNKEN BARNABY of his day.

"What! (say you:) "not _one_ single specimen from the library of your
favourite DIANE DE POICTIERS? Can this be possible?"--No more of
interrogatory, I beseech you: but listen attentively and gratefully to the
intelligence which you are about to receive--and fancy not, if you have any
respect for my taste, that I have forgotten my favourite Diane de
Poictiers. On looking sharply about you, within this library, there will be
found a magnificent copy of the _Commentaries of Chrysostom upon the
Epistles of St. Paul_, printed by _Stephanus et Fratres a Sabio, at
Verona_, in 1529, in three folio volumes. It is by much and by far the
finest Greek work which I ever saw from the _Sabii_ Press.[132] No wonder
Colbert jumped with avidity to obtain such a copy of it: for, bating that
it is "un peu rogne," the condition and colour are quite enchanting. And
then for the binding!--which either Colbert, or his librarian Baluze, had
the good sense and good taste to leave _untouched_. The first and second
volumes are in reddish calf, with the royal arms in the centre, and the
half moon (in tarnished silver) beneath: the arabesque ornaments, or
surrounding border is in gilt. The edges are gilt, stamped; flush with the
fore edges of the binding. In the centre of the sides of the binding, is a
large H, with a fleur de lis at top: the top and bottom borders presenting
the usual D and H, united, of which you may take a peep in the
_Bibliographical Decameron._ The third volume is in dark blue leather, with
the same side ornaments; and the title of the work, as with the preceding
volumes, is lettered in Greek capitals. The H and crown, and monogram, as
before; but the edges of the leaves are, in this volume, stamped at bottom
and top with an H, surmounted by a crown. The sides of the binding are also
fuller and richer than in the preceding volumes. This magnificent copy was
given to the Library by P. Le Jeune. It is quite a treasure in its way.

Another specimen, if you please, from the library of our favourite Diana.
It is rather of a singular character: consisting of a French version of
that once extremely popular work (originally published in the Latin
language) called the _Cosmography of Sebastian Munster._ The edition is of
the date of 1556, in folio. This copy must have been as splendid as it is
yet curious. It contains two portraits of Henry the Second ("HENRICVS II.
GALLIARVM REX INVICTISS. PP.") and four of Holofernes ("OLOFARNE.") on each
side of the binding. In the centre of the sides we recognise the lunar
ornaments of Diane de Poictiers; but on the back, are five portraits of
her, in gilt, each within the bands--and, like all the other ornaments,
much rubbed. Two of these five heads are facing a different head of Henry.
There are also on the sides two pretty medallions of a winged figure
blowing a trumpet, and standing upon a chariot drawn by four horses: there
are also small fleur de lis scattered between the ornaments of the sides of
the binding. The date of the medallion seems to be 1553. The copy is
cruelly cropt, and the volume is sufficiently badly printed; which makes it
the more surprising that such pains should have been taken with its
bibliopegistic embellishments. Upon the whole, this copy, for the sake of
its ornaments, is vehemently desirable.

And now, my dear friend, you must make your bow with me to M. Hebert, and
bid farewell to the PUBLIC LIBRARY at Caen. Indeed I am fully disposed to
bid farewell to every thing else in the same town: not however without
being conscious that very much, both of what I have, and of what I have
not, seen, merits a detail well calculated to please the intellectual
appetites of travellers. What I have seen, has been indeed but summarily,
and even superficially, described; but I have done my best; and was fearful
of exciting ennui by a more parish-register-like description. For the
service performed in places of public worship, I can add nothing to my
Rouen details--except that there is here an agreeable PROTESTANT CHURCH, of
which M. MARTIN ROLLIN, is the Pastor. He has just published a "_Memoire
Historique sur l'Etat Eclesiastique des Protestans Francois depuis Francois
Ler jusqu'a Louis XVIII_:" in a pamphlet of some fourscore pages. The task
was equally delicate and difficult of execution; but having read it, I am
free to confess that M. Rollin has done his work very neatly and very
cleverly. I went in company with Mrs. and Miss I---- to hear the author
preach; for he is a young man (about thirty) who draws his congregation as
much from his talents as a preacher, as from his moral worth as an
individual. It was on the occasion of several young ladies and gentlemen
taking the sacrament for the first time. The church is strictly, I believe,
according to the Geneva persuasion; but there was something so comfortable,
and to me so cheering, in the avowed doctrine of Protestantism, that I
accompanied my friends with alacrity to the spot. Many English were
present; for M. Rollin is deservedly a favourite with our countrymen. The
church, however, was scarcely half filled. The interior is the most
awkwardly adapted imaginable to the purposes either of reading or of
preaching: for it consists of two aisles at right angles with each other.
The desk and pulpit are fixed in the receding angle of their junction; so
that the voice flies forth to the right and left immediately as it escapes
the preacher. After a very long, and a very tediously sung psalm, M. Rollin
commenced his discourse. He is an extemporaneous preacher. His voice is
sweet and clear, rather than sonorous and impressive; and he is perhaps,
occasionally, too metaphorical in his composition. For the first time I
heard the words "_Oh Dieu!_" pronounced with great effect: but the sermon
was made up of better things than mere exclamations. M. Rollin was
frequently ingenious; logical, and convincing; and his address to the young
communicants, towards the close of his discourse, was impressive and
efficient. The young people were deeply touched by his powerful appeal, and
I believe each countenance was suffused with tears. He guarded them against
the dangers and temptations of that world upon which they were about to
enter, by setting before them the consolations of the religion which they
had professed, in a manner which indicated that he had really their
interests and happiness at heart.

A word only about COURTS OF JUSTICE. "A smack of the whip" will tingle in
my ears through life;[133] and I shall always attend "_Nisi Prius_"
exhibitions with more than ordinary curiosity. I strolled one morning to
the _Place de Justice_--which is well situated, in an airy and respectable
neighbourhood. I saw two or three barristers, en pleine costume, pretty
nearly in the English fashion; walking quickly to and fro with their
clients, in the open air before the hall; and could not help contrasting
the quick eye and unconcerned expression of countenance of the former, with
the simple look and yet earnest action of the latter. I entered the Hall,
and, to my astonishment, heard only a low muttering sound. Scarcely fifteen
people were present, I approached the bench; and what, think you, were the
intellectual objects upon which my eye alighted? Three Judges ... all fast
asleep! Five barristers, two of whom were nodding: one was literally
addressing _the bench_ ... and the remaining two were talking to their
clients in the most unconcerned manner imaginable. The entire effect, on my
mind, was ridiculous in the extreme. Far be it from me, however, to
designate the foregoing as a generally true picture of the administration
of Justice at Caen. I am induced to hope and believe that a place, so long
celebrated for the study of the law, yet continues occasionally to exhibit
proofs of that logic and eloquence for which it has been renowned of old. I
am willing to conclude that all the judges are not alike somniferous; and
that if the acuteness of our GIFFORDS, and the rhetoric of our DENMANS,
sometimes instruct and enliven the audience, there will be found Judges to
argue like GIBBS and to decide like SCOTT.[134] Farewell.


[121] _Memoires de l'Academie des Belles Lettres de Caen. Chez Jacques
Manoury, 1757, 4 vols. crown 8vo. Rapport generale sur les travaux de
l'Academie des Sciences, Arts, et Belles Lettres de la ville de Caen,
jusqu'au premier Janvier, 1811. Par P.F.T. Delariviere, Secretaire. A
Caen, chez Chalopin_. An. 1811-15. 2 vols. on different paper, with
different types, and provokingly of a larger form than its precursor.

[122] [On consulting the Addenda of the preceding edition, it will be seen
that this work appeared in the year 1820, under the title of _Essais
Historiques sur la Ville de Caen et son Arondissement_, in 2 small
octavo volumes. With the exception of two or three indifferent plates
of relics of sculpture, and of titles with armorial bearings, this
work is entirely divested of ornament. There are some useful
historical details in it, taken from the examination of records and
the public archives; but a HISTORY of CAEN is yet a desideratum.]

[123] [By the favour of our common friend Mr. Douce, I have obtained
permission to enrich these pages with the PORTRAIT of this
distinguished Archaeologist, from an original Drawing in the
possession of the same friend. See the OPPOSITE PLATE.]

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