STUDIES ON MUSEUMS AND KINDRED INSTITUTIONS. 583 



the great stairway, the administrative offices. Whatever shortcom- 

 ings this l)uilding may have, it has at all events been carefully thought 

 out and not erected after the general pattern. It is surpassed, however, 

 by the new American libraries. I received the impression that they 

 strive to be successful, l)ut the means at their command are too limited. 

 Annual reports and catalogues of the amiual accessions are published. 

 The library increases rapidly through donations. It contains at pres- 

 ent 150,()(U» volumes. It must be emphasized that the arrangement is 

 after the Dewe}' system, this being, perhaps, the oidy large library in 

 Europe which employs it. It works excellently, though the books, 

 on account of the small force of assistants, have no outside markings. 

 The Dewey classes are distinctly indicated by labels on the stacks and 

 easil}' found. Within the classes an alphabetical arrangement is fol- 

 lowed, and when there are more books than one can conveniently review 

 at a glance a sequence of the letters is attached to the stacks. The gen- 

 eral opposition on the part of librarians to the Dewey system is per- 

 haps based principally on the inunense amount of labor involved in 

 the reassignment and rearrangement of a lil)rary, which can not be 

 undertaken without very considerable means, and then, again, other 

 systems have also their good points. 



It is open from 10 a. m. to 10 p. m. During 1900 there were 

 148,405 readei-s. 



(See also F. J. Burgoyne, Li))rary Construction, 1897, pp. 153-158, 

 with ground plans and cross sections, and J. ,1. Ogle, The Free 

 Library, 1897, pp. 191-192.) 



38. NATIONAL GALLERY. 



The National Gallery has just received the addition of a large new 

 wing, with skylights, and side lights in alcoves; in these the walls are 

 not at right but at obtuse angles, which is certainly preferable. The 

 large building makes, by its simplicity, a very favorable impression. 

 The old portion was constructed during 1859-1864, and cost $150,000. 

 In 1898 there were on exhibition 464 paintings, 348 drawings, water 

 colors, etc., 280 portraits, 16 busts, and a collection of casts. It is 

 open on four week days from 12 to 6 p. m. (or until darkness sets in); 

 on Sunda3^s from 2 to 5 p. m. (or until dark), admission free; on two 

 week days it is open from 10 a. m. to 4 p. m., admission sixpence. 

 (See Catalogue of the pictures and other works of art in the National 

 Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery, Ireland. Dublin, 8vo, 

 1898, 361 pp.) 



39. ANATOMICAL INSTITUTE OF THE UNIVEESITY. 



I also visited the anatomical collection, on account of its anthro- 

 pological department, but as the hall was just being rebuilt and 

 the cases shoved together, J could see but little. The collection of 



