526 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[No. 162. 



require that each specimen should "be comprised 

 in two octavo sheets, or otherwise — that it should 

 contain books in at least four languajres — a cer- 

 tain number of books printed in the fifteenth and 

 sixteenth centui'ies — a proportion of translated 

 works — of anonymous works — of periodical works 



— of the collective editions of fugitive pieces — of 

 works published by scientific and literary societies 



— and, in short, of the principal varieties of books 

 which occur in an extensive library. I would 

 also recommend that each competitor should be 

 required to prefix a statement of the principles of 

 construction adopted, and a series of rules for the 

 guidance of those who might have occasion to 

 consult a catalogue so constructed. 



In presuming to offer this advice to men of the 

 highest distinction and attainments, I shall no 

 otherwise apologise than by asserting my fami- 

 liarity with bibliographical literature for at least 

 thirty years. " N'a-t-on pas vu plus dhine fois^' 

 says M. Paulin Paris, '•'• d! excellens ecrivains et des 

 erudits du premier ordre demeurer etrangers a Vart 

 de dresser mi catalogue ? " The question is quite 

 as applicable at home. I believe, however, that 

 the committee might make a very judicious choice 

 if half-a-dozen specimens were submitted to their 

 deliberate examination ; and I humbly conceive 

 that the subjoined extracts on bibliography and 

 the duties of librarians may help to impress on 

 them the vast importance of the subject — to con- 

 vince them of the expediency of prompt remedial 

 measures with regard to the catalogue of printed 

 books — and so to promote the fulfilment of the 

 gracious intention of Her Majesty in issuing the 

 commissions of 1847 and 1848, that the institution 

 should be made more " effective for the advance- 

 ment of literature, science, and the arts." 



In accordance with the quotation from the 

 statutes of the Museum, I should have made this 

 proposal to the committee through the ordinary 

 official channel ; but the recollection of a certain 

 declaration made by the special committee of 

 trustees which was appointed on the 4th of May 

 1850, and printed in the sessional papers of the 

 House of Commons, has induced me to give it 

 publicity. Bolton Cornet. 



29. The Terrace, Barnes, Surrey. 



ON BIBLIOGRAPHY AND THE DUTIES OF LIBRARIANS. 



" The forwardness of your catalogue [of the public 



library at Oxford] is very good tidings I would 



intreat you to meditate upon it, how it may be per- 

 formed to both our credits and contents." — Sir Thomas 

 BoDLEY to Tliomas James, c. 1604. 



" Habes, benigne lector, catalogum librorum, eo 

 ordine dispositum, quo in celeburrima Oxoniensi 

 bibliotheca collocantur ; opus diu multumque deside- 

 ratum, et jam tandem editum." — Thomas James, 1605. 



" Jam vero in studiorum usum bil)liotheca transire 

 non potest sine indice. Turn demum autem etiam 



index prodest maxime, si publicatus fuerit. Prlvatim 

 detentus solos qui propius accesserunt adjuvat et in- 

 struit." — Hermannus Conringius, 1661. 



" Quamprimum benignis academicorum suffraglis 

 in bibliothecarium electus essem, videremque justum 

 bibliothecas publicas catalogum ab omnibus desiderari, 

 ego ut gratiis litatum ireni, me protiniis accinxi ad 

 conficiendum proprio marte novum catalogum." — 

 Thomas Hyde, 1674. 



" The general use of catalogues [of books], and the 

 esteem they are in at present, is so well known, that it 

 were to waste paper to expatiate on it." — Gerard 

 Langbaine, 1688. 



" Post bibliothecarios scriptores veniunt catalogorum 

 scriptores, quorum accuratior notitia ita necessaria est 

 polyhistori, ut mapparum geographicarum cognitio 

 peregrinaturo." — D. G. Morhofius, 1695. 



" These titles [collected by Bagford] informed me 

 of many books 1 had never heard of before ; and 

 from them I have been enabled to enquire for several 

 books, some of which I have since procured, to my 

 great satisfaction." — Humfrey Wanley, 1707. 



" Hujusmodi igitur duplicem catalogum [sc. ordine 

 librorum classico, authorumque alphabetico] non de- 

 scribi modo, sed in publica literarum commoda typis 

 etiam mandari vellem ; ut locupletissimse bibliothecsB 

 fructus cum viris omnium gentium eruditis candide et 

 ingenue communicenius." — '■ Conyers Miuuleton, 1723. 



" A desire to shew that I have not been quite use- 

 less in my station, hath induced me to publish the 

 following catalogue : wherein the public will be ap- 

 prised of some thousands of books, or tracts, which 

 were never yet known, by any printed account, to be 

 in this library [of George II.] ; and several, which are 

 not known to be extant." — David Casley, 1734. 



" Quelles obligations la republique des lettres 

 n'a-t-elle pas aux Anglais, d'avoir donne les catalogues 

 des livres que renferment leurs bibliotheques ! Celui 

 d'Oxford est d'une utillte reconnue, par le grand 

 nombre de livres qu'il contient, et par I'ordre alpha- 

 betique qu'on leur a donne." — Jourdan, 1739. 



" By the means of catalogues only can it be known, 

 what has been written on every part of learning, and 

 the hazard avoided of encountering difficulties which 

 have already been cleared, discussing questions which 

 have already been decided, and digging in mines of 

 literature which former ages have exhausted." — Samuel 

 Johnson, 1742. 



" Catalogues of books are of great use in literary 



pursuits We mean not here to enter into all the 



conveniencies of a more improved catalogue, for it 

 would require a volume to display them." — WilUam 

 Oldys, 1745. 



" The want of a more distinct enumeration of the 

 particulars contained in our valuable manuscript col- 

 lections, is perhaps one of the greatest impediments to 

 the progress of literature." — William Huddesford, 

 1761. 



" Credidi igitur et Collegii [C.C.C.] famae et reve- 

 rendissimi benefactoris memoriae, orbisque litterarii 

 commodo me consulturum, si horas subsecivas in tanto 

 antiquitatum ecclesiasticarum et civilium thesauro 

 eruendo describendoque consumerem." — Jacobus Nas- 

 MITH, 1777. 



