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parchment could hardly do。 It is established that
in Roman times the bad institution of slavery
ministered to a system under which books
were multiplied by simultaneous copying in a
room where a single person read aloud in the
hearing of many the volume to be
reproduced； and that so produced they were
relatively cheap。 Had they not been so； they
would hardly have been； as Horace represents
them； among the habitual spoils of the grocer。＇8＇
It is sad； and is suggestive of many
inquiries； that this abundance was followed；
at least in the West； by a famine of more
than a thousand years。 And it is hard； even
after all allowances； to conceive that of all
the many manuscripts of Homer which Italy
must have possessed we do not know that a
single parchment or papyrus was ever read
by a single individual； even in a convent； or
even by a giant such as Dante； or as Thomas
Acquinas； the first of them unquestionably
master of all the knowledge that was within
the compass of his age。 There were；
however； libraries even in the West； formed by
Charlemagne and by others after him。 We
are told that Alcuin； in writing to the great
monarch； spoke with longing of the relative
wealth of England in these precious estates。
Mr。 Edwards； whom I have already quoted；
mentions Charles the Fifth of France； in 1365；
as a collector of manuscripts。 But some ten
years back the Director of the Bibliotheque
Nationale informed me that the French King
John collected twelve hundred manuscripts；
at that time an enormous library； out of which
several scores where among the treasures in
his care。 Mary of Medicis appears to have
amassed in the sixteenth century； probably
with far less effort； 5；800 volumes。＇9＇ Oxford
had before that time received noble gifts for
her University Library。 And we have to
recollect with shame and indignation that
that institution was plundered and destroyed
by the Commissioners of the boy King
Edward the Sixth； acting in the name of the
Reformation of Religion。 Thus it happened
that opportunity was left to a private
individual； the munificent Sir Thomas Bodley； to
attach an individual name to one of the
famous libraries of the world。 It is interesting
to learn that municipal bodies have a share
in the honor due to monasteries and
sovereigns in the collection of books； for the
Common Council of Aix purchased books for a
public library in 1419。＇10＇
Louis the Fourteenth； of evil memory； has
at least this one good deed to his credit； that
he raised the Royal Library at Paris； founded
two centuries before； to 70；000 volumes。 In
1791 it had 150；000 volumes。 It profited largely
by the Revolution。 The British Museum had
only reached 115；000 when Panizzi became
keeper in 1837。 Nineteen years afterward he
left it with 560；000； a number which must now
have more than doubled。 By his noble design
for occupying the central quadrangle； a desert
of gravel until his time； he provided additional
room for 1；200；000 volumes。 All this
apparently enormous space for development is being
eaten up with fearful rapidity； and such is the
greed of the splendid library that it opens its
jaws like Hades； and threatens shortly to
expel the antiquities from the building； and
appropriate the places they adorn。
But the proper office of hasty retrospect in
a paper like this is only to enlarge by degrees；
like the pupil of an eye； the reader's
contemplation and estimate of the coming time； and
to prepare him for some practical suggestions
of a very humble kind。 So I take up again
the thread of my brief discourse。 National
libraries draw upon a purse which is
bottomless。 But all public libraries are not national。
And the case even of private libraries is
becoming； nay； has become； very serious for all
who are possessed by the inexorable spirit of
collection； but whose ardor is perplexed and
qualified； or even baffled； by considerations
springing from the balance…sheet。
The purchase of a book is commonly
supposed to end； even for the most scrupulous
customer； with the payment of the bookseller's
bill。 But this is a mere popular superstition。
Such payment is not the last； but the first
term in a series of goodly length。 If we wish
to give to the block a lease of life equal to
that of the pages； the first condition is that it
should be bound。 So at least one would have
said half a century ago。 But； while books
are in the most instances cheaper； binding；
from causes which I do not understand； is
dearer； at least in England； than it was in my
early years； so that few can afford it。＇11＇ We
have； however； the tolerable and very useful
expedient of cloth binding （now in some
danger； I fear； of losing its modesty through
flaring ornamentation） to console us。 Well；
then； bound or not； the book must of
necessity be put into a bookcase。 And the
bookcase must be housed。 And the house must
be kept。 And the library must be dusted；
must be arranged； should be catalogued。 What
a vista of toil； yet not unhappy toil！ Unless
indeed things are to be as they now are in
at least one princely mansion of this country；
where books； in thousands upon thousands；
are jumbled together with no more
arrangement than a sack of coals； where not even
the sisterhood of consecutive volumes has
been respected； where undoubtedly an
intending reader may at the mercy of Fortune
take something from the shelves that is a
book； but where no particular book can
except by the purest accident； be found。
Such being the outlook； what are we to do
with our books？ Shall we be buried under
them like Tarpeia under the Sabine shields？
Shall we renounce them （many will； or will
do worse； will keep to the most worthless
part of them） in our resentment against their
more and more exacting demands？ Shall we
sell and scatter them？ as it is painful to see
how often the books of eminent men are
ruthlessly； or at least unhappily； dispersed
on their decease。 Without answering in
detail； I shall assume that the book…buyer is a
book…lover； that his love is a tenacious； not
a transitory love； and that for him the
question is how best to keep his books。
I pass over those conditions which are the
most obvious； that the building should be
sound and dry； the apartment airy； and with
abundant light。 And I dispose with a passing
anathema of all such as would endeavour to
solve their problem； or at any rate
compromise their difficulties； by setting one row
of books in front of another。 I also freely
admit that what we have before us is not
a choice between difficulty and no difficulty；
but a choice among difficulties。
The objects further to be contemplated in
the bestowal of our books； so far as I
recollect； are three： economy； good arrangement；
and accessibility with the smallest possible
expenditure of time。
In a private library； where the service of
books is commonly to be performed by the
person desiring to use them； they ought to be
assorted and distributed according to subject。
The case may be altogether different where
they have to be sent for and brought by an
attendant。 It is an immense advantage to
bring the eye in aid of the mind； to see
within a limited compass all the works that
are accessible； in a given library； on a given
subject； and to have the power of dealing
with them collectively at a given spot； instead
of hunting them up through an entire
accumulation。 It must be admitted； however； that
distribution by subjects ought in some degree
to be controlled by sizes。 If everything on a
given subject； from folio down to 32mo； is to
be brought locally together； there will be an
immense waste of space in the attempt to
lodge objects of such different sizes in one
and the same bookcase。 And this waste of
space will cripple us in the most serious
manner； as will be seen with regard to the
conditions of economy and of accessibility。
The three conditions are in truth all
connected together； but especially the two last
named。
Even in a paper such as this the question
of classification cannot altogether be
overlooked； but it is one more easy to open than
to close one upon which I am not bold
enough to hope for uniformity of