George Ticknor, Life, letters and journals of George Ticknor
George Hillard, Ed.

[312] I suppose others can hardly be sent until the results of my purchases are known; because, as you will see, I am buying right and left, outside of all the lists we have yet prepared, and must, therefore, be buying books which you would indicate on new lists. Still, these fresh lists cannot be put too soon in preparation. . . .

For everything relating to Germany, including the North of Europe, and for all that relates to Italy, Mr. Bates looks to me and to the arrangements I shall make. For this purpose, I took a credit from him of £ 2,000, a sum larger than I shall probably use, and certainly enough to purchase such books, not on any of our lists, as I may find cheap and tempting, and to establish agencies in Leipzig, Florence, and perhaps elsewhere; beginning the purchases, and putting the agents in communication with Mr. Bates for subsequent directions and resources . . . .

I began in London, buying, perhaps, four hundred volumes, which you will easily recognize. . . . . To this city-Brussels—I took a letter from M. Van De Weyer for Mons. Alvin, Conservateur of the Royal Library, who at once placed entirely at my disposition Mons. Charles Ruelens, a scholar full of bibliographical and literary knowledge, who is on the staff of the Library to purchase its books all over Europe. Under his guidance I have bought about seven hundred and fifty volumes . . . . . I have not bought a book here or in London, and shall not, I suppose, buy one anywhere, that I would sell in Boston for twice its cost.

The books I have bought of the booksellers here are all sent to the Bibliotheque Royale, where M. Ruelens has charge of them. He will have them collated; will cause such of them as may need it to be bound, under the roof of the Library, at the prices the Library pays for its own binding, and will then despatch them . . . . . But I have obtained from the Bibliotheque Royale about one hundred and fifty volumes more, which they can let us have, under the rules imposed on them by their government, only in the way of exchange for other books . . . .

After leaving here, unless I find Bunsen at Heidelberg, which I hardly expect, we shall go to Leipzig without much stopping. There I have already begun to make arrangements for the purchase of books, and for an agency. . . . .

Yours always,

George Ticknor.

Six weeks later he gives a further account of his work.