1. All bids to be per Lot as numbered in the Catalogue. 2. The highest bidder to be the buyer; in all cases of disputed bids the lot shall be resold, but the Auctioneer will use his judgment as to the good faith of all claims and his decision shall be final. 3. Buyers to give their names and addresses and to make such cash payments on account as may be required, in default of which the lots purchased to be immediately resold. 4. Goods bought to be removed at the close of each sale. If not so removed they will be at the sole risk of the purchaser and this Company will not be responsible if such goods are lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed. 5. Terms Cash, If accounts are not paid at the conclusion of each Sale, or, in the case of absent buyers, when bills are rendered, this Company reserves the right to recatalogue the goods for immediate sale without notice to the defaulting buyer, and all costs of such resale will be charged to the defaulter. This condition is without prejudice to the rights of the Company to enforce the sale contract and collect the amount due without such resale at its own option. 6. All goods are sold as catalogued, and are assumed to be in good second-hand condition. If material defects are found, not mentioned in the catalogue, the lot may be returned. Notice of such defects must be given promptly and the goods returned within ten days from the date of the sale. No exceptions will be made to this rule. 7. Bids. We make no charge for executing orders for our customers. We use all bids competitively and buy at the lowest price permitted by other bids. The Edwin N. Lapham Library PREFACE. THE HE collection of books here offered for sale has occupied the leisure hours of a busy life for many years. The owner feels that he is parting with tried and trusted friends, but is consoled by the conviction that books such as these can appeal only to those who will equally appreciate and value them. "The criterion of literature is the touch-stone of time," and it is believed that there are very few books in this collection that have not passed the test and will not be accepted by collectors as "pure gold." Special attention has been paid not only to procuring the rarest books, but the best obtainable copies of such books. Mainly of the Tennysonian Period, the collection also includes the standard authors of the Johnsonian Era. Of the books issued during the latter period there will be found Dr. Johnson's rare "Prince of Abissinia" and the "Vanity of Human Wishes," and some particularly rare editions of Goldsmith, including the "Vicar of Wakefield" and "Retaliation." The latter charming and pleasantly satirical poem-the last work of Goldsmith, published two weeks after his death-is one of his books that should be most cherished by his admirers. It was a reply to Garrick's humorous epitaph on Goldsmith, written on the spur of the moment in a company of friends: "Here lies Nolly Goldsmith, for shortness call'd Noll Who wrote like an angel, but talked like poor Poll.'' Goldsmith in his "Retaliation" poked pleasant fun at all the wits of the town, and the last lines ever penned by him are the two in that poem referring to Sir Joshua Reynolds: "When they talked of their Raphaels, Correggios and stuff, |