1847.] PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN LONDON AND PARIS. need some expenditure and more care to make complete. A few valuable Oriental works were obtained at the sale of M. Silvestre de Sacy's library in Paris; and a choice selection of Spanish, Portuguese, and Dutch literature and history, at Dr. Southey's sale. Many works, the bulk of them in old English literature, were procured at that of Mr. Thomas Jolley. Large additions of Continental books, including the transactions of learned societies, and periodical publications of all kinds, have been made by direct importations from Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, and Hungary. A curious collection of works on South America was purchased from the library of M. Chaumette des Fosses, late French Consul at Lima. And a selection of modern Greek works, published since the breaking out of the war of independence, has been made, through Mr. Bracebridge, at Athens. It may be mentioned as a curious corroboration of what has been said of the neglect, until lately, of foreign contemporary literature, that amongst the recent purchases specified in Mr. Panizzi's report are the Mémoires de Mirabeau, the magnificent folio Histoire de l'Expédition Française en Egypte, the Dizionario Enciclopedico of Alberti, and Goethe's Kunst und Alterthum. In a very different class of acquisitionsthat of the "Antiquities of Printing". Caxton's Recueil des Histoires de Troyes, printed abroad, and the first book printed in the French language, and his Esop's Fables, printed at Westminster, in 1483, claim especial notice. M. Silvestre's Paléographie Universelle, and the still more splendid work on the same subject edited by Count Auguste de Bastard,* now in course of publication, under the auspices of the French government, merit equal distinction amongst the modern achieve ments of the art. "The Bull of Indulgence granted by the authority of Pope Nicholas V. to those who should contribute in aid of the King of Cyprus against the Turks; a document which bears the date of 1455, two years anterior to 1457, the year of the earliest dated printed book. This copy of the bull is the only one known of this edition. "A collection of nine ancient Bulls of Indulgence circulated in England between the years 1480 and 1526. "Columbus's Letter to Ferdinand and Isabella, announcing the discovery of America, supposed to be printed in Rome in 1493. This copy is of the edition held by some writers to be the second, and by others the first. "The Diurnale, or Liber Precum, on vellum, printed by Schönsperger, at Augsburg, in 1514, probably for the Emperor Maximilian; the identical copy from which Panzer took his description, and the only perfect one known. "The Mozarabic Breviary, on vellum, printed at Toledo in 1502, of which no second copy is known, and only thirty-five are said to have been printed on paper. "The collection of English Ballads, in three volumes, folio, formerly belonging to Lord Oxford, and afterwards to the Duke of Roxburghe, comprising nearly 1200 articles, and forming probably ...with those previously in the Museum, the completest collection in existence. “A volume of ancient French Farces, printed between the years 1540 and 1550, sixty-four in number; by far the greater part unique..... "The first editions of Shakspeare's Lucrece, and of his Sonnets; also some interesting early editions of his Venus and Adonis."* The Roxburgh Collection of Ballads mentioned in this extract has been found, on closer examination, to contain not less than 1335 distinct pieces; which, we believe, it is in contemplation to incorporate with those formerly in the Museum, about 1000 in number; thus forming, when united, a more extensive series than even the famed Pepysian Collection at Cambridge. This rapid summary of what has been done, within five years, in the acquisition both of foreign literature and of those costly typographical rarities for which the stuThe more remarkable of the additions dent ought not to look in vain in a great limade by purchase, during the year 1845, brary, bears abundant testimony both to the are best described in the words of the par-zealous exertions of the present keeper of liamentary return itself: "Two editions of the Ars Moriendi, considered by Heinecken the second and fifth engraved on wood; and also a set of copperplate engravings for the same work, probably executed in the fifteenth century, and unknown to bibliographers. Peintures de Manuscrits depuis le huitième siècle jusqu'à la fin du seizième. Sixteen parts of this work have been purchased, at a cost of nearly 70%, for each part. printed books, and to the active co-operation of the trustees, for the improvement of the national collection. Still more recently, both trustees and keeper have evinced their earnest pursuit of this improvement, and their conviction that increased means are indispensable to its attainment, by laying on the table of the * Accounts, &c. (24th March, 1846), p. 7. Were it not for the same reason, we House of Commons the documents enume- former, such as chronology, heraldry, colrated as No. 4, in the list of publications lections of arts and documents, &c.) of prefixed to this article. They consist, 1, which the British Museum possesses exactly of a letter to the Lords of the Treasury, eleven. from the Rev. J. Forshall, secretary to the trustees, dated 16th December, 1845; 2, might add to Mr. Panizzi's statements of the Treasury minute thereon, dated 16th many independent examples of existing January, 1846; 3, of a memoir, by Mr. Pa- desiderata, with which our own occasional nizzi, "On the Collection of Printed Books inquiries have acquainted us. It must sufat the British Museum, its increase and ar- fice to mention, that having recently had rangement," dated 1st of January, 1845. to search, without success, for many works In this memoir, which commences with a on the history of France under Napoleon brief retrospect of the growth of the collec--no unimportant subject to the English stution, and of the operation of the Copyright dent-we were induced to examine the Acts, Mr. Panizzi goes into an examination catalogues systematically on that head. of the existing condition of the library in all classes of literature, on the principle of the lists which had been submitted, as we have mentioned, to the Commons' Committee in 1836, and brings out the results in a very elaborate and lucid manner. Our examination resulted in a list of 172 such works not to be found there: comprising seventeen works written by or attributed to Napoleon himself; twenty distinct biographies of him; ten general histories of his campaigns; thirty-eight histories of particu"A short glance at this Memoir," says Mr. For works, such as Mémoires pour servir, &c.; ten lar campaigns; fifty-three miscellaneous shal!, in his letter to the Treasury, "will show how deficient the library still is in respect to theo- commentaries on the Code Napoléon; and logical works, whether copies of the Holy Scrip- twenty-four works of poetry and fiction on tures in Hebrew and other languages, missals, li- the career of the French emperor. turgies, and prayer-books in general, or the works of the Fathers and schoolmen, subsequently to the sixth century, and likewise of the Protestant Reformers. Even of the twenty-five works on general Ecclesiastical History in the catalogue of the Sion College Library, in 1726, only nine are in the Museum. The sum asked for by the trustees for the gradual supply of deficiencies like these, was an annual grant for a series of years of 10,000l. for the purchase of old books; 5,000l. for what may be called new books; "We have but seven out of 127 works on and 2,0001. for binding. In their minute the canon law mentioned in the Bibliotheca Juridi- on this application, the Lords of the Treaca of Lipenius, and but four of the forty-six re-sury recommended to Parliament "an' ancorded in the bibliography added to Camus' Lettres nual grant, for some years to come, of sur la profession d'Avocat, edited by M. Dupin in 10,000l. for the purchase of books of all 1832. In Roman, civil, and public law, in international and maritime law, we are equally defi- descriptions;" which sum was accordingly cient; and we have no collection, general or sepaincluded in the estimate of the session, with rate, of the laws of many foreign countries with another sum of 3,6001. for binding, and which we are closely connected. With regard both sums were voted nemine contradicente. ro our own colonies, we do not possess the laws, ordinances, or government acts of one half;.... and we have a very small proportion, indeed, of the very voluminous works which the Continent has lately produced on the very important and interesting subject of political economy."* Our limits will not permit further quotation from this valuable paper. We may, however, sum up its examination into the condition of the library as to a single section of the class history-viz. the large and, in England, little explored one of the history of Russia-by stating that the catalogue of a large Russian circulating library (Smirdin's) enumerates six hundred and fifty-three works on Russian history and biography (including the accessories to the * Copy of a Representation, &c., p. ii. Already, we are informed, this liberality has led to the acquisition of a very extensive and valuable collection which had formed the major part of the stock of the eminent Viennese antiquarian bookseller, rature, in the history and polemics of the Kuppitsch, very rich in early German liteReformation, in the local history and topography of the German States, and espethe local history of printing. The lastcially of the Austrian dominions, and in named subject might almost be re-written from the new materials here brought together. The catalogue of this collection, now before us, contains 360 several works under the head" Luther," including nearly all the original editions of his separate writ ings, and 100 other works, published from | the volumes so eagerly demanded slowly 1517 to 1550, under the head "Reforma- appeared."* tion." Many of these are of the extremest rarity; and to some the compiler of the catalogue complacently attaches the note, "unknown to Panzer." All such rarities, not previously in the Museum Library, have, we believe, been obtained. We doubt if, on the whole, any addition was ever made to our national library at one time, by purchase, containing so much of really new and original information. We may put in contrast with this description of the old state of things, the following testimony to the order and rapidity of the present service of the reading-room; borne by a French literary man, who, in the autumn of 1843, addressed to Mignet, the historian, a series of "Letters on the Archives, Libraries, and Scientific Establishments of London :" "The formalities," says M. Martial Delpit, Valuable acquisitions have also been" which are observed in granting admission, premade from the library of M. Ternaux vent its abuse, and preserve an establishment inCompans, at Paris, chiefly in curious voy-tended for study and science, from being turned ages and travels, and in the general history of America and the Indies. into a reading-room for the idle. Once admitted, the reader is looked upon as belonging to the house; he may consult all the catalogues, and ask for what he pleases, on the one condition that he write and The whole number of volumes added to sign a ticket for each book,-a sort of voucher the library, during the year 1846, will which is kept until he restores the volume. These probably amount to nearly 45,000-viz. by excellent regulations produce the best results, and the Grenville bequest, 20,000 volumes; in no way impede the service, which goes on with Each Chinese books from the Admiralty, 5000 the greatest simplicity and facility.. (counting four Chinese as one English is to procure the books, which are brought to the ticket is transmitted to the attendants whose duty it volume); and by miscellaneous donations, reader by other attendants, who acquit themselves about 1000; by Copyright Act, about 3000; of the task with marvellous zeal and the strictest and by purchase, between 15,000 and punctuality. Everything is done by writing, and 16,000. The total number of volumes in nothing occurs to disturb the quiet of the room, or the British Museum may now be stated at the occupation of the readers. The greatest si350,000, and of works as exceeding 550,000.lence prevails; and if some share of this is to be There is probably no instance of such rapid augmentation of a public library by purely peaceful means, unless it be in the case of the Royal Library at Munich. The It was suggested, as far back as 1836, great increase of the Paris Library during that it would be well if the trustees of the the first Revolution, was by the confisca- British Museum, instead of permitting the tion of monastic libraries, and of those of sale of duplicate books by auction, were to emigrants; and that of the " Imperial" form them into a public "lending libraLibrary at St. Petersburgh, by the infa-ry." The sale of duplicates has been mous plunder of the Zaluski Library at Warsaw. We may reasonably be proud of the contrast. And what use is made of the treasures thus industriously accumulated from all parts of the globe? What facilities for consulting them are offered to those who are capable of applying them to good purpose? We believe that both questions may be answered very satisfactorily; whilst, at the same time, some further improvements may fairly be looked for. The Museum reading-room, with its daily average of 220 readers, presents a striking contrast to its daily eight or ten, some forty years ago. "There we were, says Mr. D'Israeli, "little attended to, musing in silence and oblivion; for sometimes we had to wait a day or two, till ascribed to the English character, it must also be very properly discontinued; and we are glad to see that Mr. Panizzi has revived the proposition of a "lending library." "In considering," says Mr. Panizzi, "the advantages and disadvantages of lending books from public libraries, no account ought to be taken of brary by the fair use of its books. It is assumed the pecuniary losses that may be entailed on a lithat proper precautions will be taken to guard against a total loss of a volume or of its value; and as for those occasional damages which may be caused by either wilfulness or gross neglect, it is presumed that by vigilant superintendence it may be of trifling importance. 66 lending is, that many students are deprived of the The strongest objection against the system of advantage of consulting works in the library The Illustrator Illustrated, p. 5. + Bulletin du Bibliophile, 6e série, pp. 978, 979. p. 50. whilst lent; and that a large number of students | der the same strict limitation of its advanare thus put to great inconvenience for the accom- tages to "students, not idlers." modation of a few. On the other hand, no one can deny that a student who has it in his power to peruse a work quietly in his own house at any time, can pursue his studies with greater advantage than when he is obliged to limit himself to the hours during which the reading-rooms are open, and when, possibly, he may not be able to resort to them. The unprecedentedly rapid extension of the Museum Library necessitates, of course, a corresponding increase of space for its proper preservation and arrangement. The books already in the Museum, and yet un"If a public library could lend books to students inch of available shelf-room in the present placed, are more than sufficient to fill every at their houses, without interfering with the persons who attend the reading room, the only well- building. The new supplementary-room, grounded objection to this system would be rewhich is now being built alongside the moved. This could be done by the loans of books" King's Library," agreeably to the plans being limited to duplicates. Not that all books of prepared twelve years ago, is calculated to which a duplicate copy occurs in the collection, contain about 70,000 volumes, and will, should therefore be lent; but no book of which a therefore, only suffice for the ordinary accuduplicate was not in the library should, under any mulations, by purchase and by copyright, circumstances, be lent out of it. . of the next five, or at the most, six years. So that a large additional building is manifestly indispensable. pur "Under proper rules, and with this limitation, arrangements might be easily made for lending books out of the library of the British Museum, and giving to English scholars the same advan- It has, indeed, been suggested that the tages as are enjoyed by those on the Continent, removal of the natural history collections where the system of lending books from public to some other locality, would provide for libraries is universal. It ought to be well under- the extension of the library in an ample stood, that this accommodation is intended for stuand a satisfactory manner. But we do not dents, not for idlers, and that the character of the bulk of the books to be lent, would be of a different believe that the trustees will deem themdescription from that of the bulk of modern pub selves at liberty even to entertain the queslications, which can be obtained from a circulating tion of applying to parliament for powers library at a trifling cost. The question is one of to effect such a removal. The founder exexpense, and of expense only. The amount pressly desired that all his collections "may would be commensurate with the utility to which remain together, and not be separated."* it might be wished to extend the principle. The The Acts of Parliament by which these larger the collection of duplicates, the greater its utility as well as expense; not of course for collections were secured to the public for chasing books only, but for officers, management, ever, give effect to that desire by express binding, and space. But, in proportion to its utili-enactment. To disconnect them, would ty, a lending collection in the British Museum not only cause enormous additional exwould cost less than a separate library for the pur- pense, by breaking up collections which, pose of lending only."* by the continuous labor of many years, Mr. Panizzi deserves great praise for af- to their present situation, but would also have been admirably arranged and adapted fording his spontaneous and powerful aid have the effect of making large and recent to this excellent proposition. We have expenditure, both in construction and fittaken the pains to count the number of ting up, so much money thrown away. Were duplicates contained in letter A of the new such a separation to take place, however catalogue (as printed), and find them to little the library might lose by it, the exceed 1800; if, then, we take this printed natural history collections would lose greatvolume as describing one-twentieth of the ly, since their close connexion with a large entire collection, we have 36,000 volumes; library is to them no small advantage. and if we estimate the duplicates in the And, lastly, there are abundant means of Grenville collection as two-thirds of its affording the amplest increase of accommowhole number of volumes, we have an ad-dation to the department of printed books, dition of 14,000, making an aggregate of without interfering, in any degree, with the 50,000 volumes, as the foundation of a na- other integral parts of the British Museum. tional "Lending Library." We hope, also, that the old proposition for an "Evening Reading-Room," at certain periods of the year, will now take effect, un* Panizzi, ut sup., p. 43. buildings now in progress have been carried The piecemeal manner in which the new on, has tended both to increase their cost to the public, and to lessen their fitness for * Will of Sir Hans Sloane, ubi supra. the purpose to which they are destined. |logue, by which we trust that completion We hope that in the erection of the new will be followed; the preparation of separate library this error will be avoided, and that catalogues of certain collections such as provision will at once be made for the an- those of Grenville and of Thomason, ticipated requirements of at least a quarter which would be at once great boons to the of a century in advance. student, and fitting tributes to the memory of public benefactors; the provision of a public lending library, and of an evening reading-room--each and all of these are measures involving large outlay; but it will be money well spent, and productive of an ample return. Several years ago it was said, that "No collection of printed books, worthy to rank as the first public library of Great Britain, can be comprised, at the present time, within a less number of volumes than 600,000, which number must increase yearly."* And this opinion is adopted by Mr. Panizzi, Mr. Panizzi's closing words put this part in concluding his report. A building ought, of the question in a very just point of therefore, to be provided, capable of con-view: taining 250,000 volumes. guages, properly arranged, substantially and well bound, minutely and fully catalogued, easily acyears to come of keeping pace with the increase cessible and yet safely preserved, capable for some of human knowledge, will no doubt be great, but so is the nation which is to bear it. What might be extravagant and preposterous to suggest in one country, may be looked upon not only as moderate but indispensable, in another.”† Most of our readers, we suppose, are "The expense," he says, "requisite for accomplishing what is here suggested; that is, for formaware that the new buildings of the Muse-ing in a few years a public library containing from um form a quadrangle, one of the sides of 600,000 to 700,000 printed volumes, giving the which is prolonged by an additional build-necessary means of information on all branches ing, at its extremity, and another has vari- of human learning, from all countries, in all lanous irregular lateral additions of unequal extent. The outer dimensions of the main quadrangle itself are about 550 ft. by 350 ft., and the inner dimensions, or those of the open space inclosed by the buildings, 317 ft. by 238 ft. If this inner quadrangle were divided by a central building, from east to west-extending from the centre of the "Royal Library" to the The library of Sion College was founded centre of the "Gallery of Antiquities"-by the Rev. John Simpson, Rector of St. a room would be obtained, measuring 230 Olave, Hart-street (who was the executor ft. by 55 ft., and capable of containing of Dr. Thomas White, the founder of the 300,000 volumes, if constructed and fitted College), and was first opened to the clergy up on the same principle as the latest ad- of the city of London in the year 1631. dition to the present library. Or a portion But it did not become a public library (free of this space might be separated from the to all persons producing a satisfactory rerest, and made somewhat more ornamental, commendation, as at the British Museum) for the special reception of the Grenville Library, which is to be kept apart from the other collections, in accordance with the wish expressed by its munificent donor. The space for the admission of light and air which the execution of this plan would leave between the respective buildings, would still exceed 120 ft. in its narrowest dimensions-about equal to the width of Portland-place, from house to house. To provide for the extension of the tional library, upon a scale like this, would doubtless involve great expenditure. The completion of the catalogue now in gress; the compilation of the classed cata until after the commencement of the present century. It may therefore be ranked as the fourth library, for public use, in the metropolis, and it is the last to which that description strictly applies. It is to be remembered that between the years 1826 and 1834, Parliament voted the sum of 53551., expressly for the preparation of a classed catalogue on the plan laid down in Mr. Hartwell Horne's admirable "Outlines for the Classification of a Library." And even were there no other reason, we should agree with Mr. Panizzi (who avowedly prena-fers alphabetical to classed catalogues) when he said (Second Report, 4966), " It may be a matter of consideration whether, after having spent so much, and pro-plete it." having gone so far, it might not be better to comWhen it was determined, on account of the wretched condition of the old reading-room catalogue, to use the titles which had been prepared for the classed in the compilation of a new alphabetical catalogue, it was expressly directed that they should first be so marked, as that they might be readily thrown into their former order. + Panizzi, ut sup., p. 37. * Remarks on the Minutes of Evidence, &c., p. 69. See also those Minutes in Second Report, Q. 3497. + See the plan of the buildings, in Second Report, p. 448. |