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out the plan, each for itself, the aggregate of the general catalogues 

 thus formed — few in number — will embrace the whole body of literature 

 extant, and from them, it will be no impossible task to digest and publish 

 a universal bibliography- How much this would promote tlie progress 

 of knowledge by showing, more distinctly, what has liecn attempted and 

 accomjdished, and wdiat yet remains to be achieved, and by thus directing 

 the outhiy of intellect aright; how much, by rebuking the rashness which 

 rushes into autliorship, ignorant of what others have written, and adding 

 to the mass of. books without adding to the sum of knowledge; how 

 much by giving confidence to the true and heroic student, who fears no 

 labor so that it bring him to the commanding height at which he aims — 

 the summit of learning in the branch to which he devotes himself; how 

 much such a w^ork would, in these and other ways, promote the great 

 object we have in view, is well deserving the attention of every thought- 

 ful mind. Upon it I may not at present longer dwell. 



In America alone can this system be put into immediate operation. In 

 every large country in Europe the arrears in cataloguing, or the mass of 

 titles accumulated in the libraries, Avould render the first expenses of the 

 enterprise quite startling. Eut here all things cons}:ire in oui' favor — our 

 libraries 'are all small, and moi^tly repetitions one of another. Eut they 

 are prosperous and will rapidly increase. Their supporters are all desiroius 

 of having printed catalogues. A central administration is necessary. This 

 can be accepted by the Smithsonian Institution, whose position is ]'.eculiarly 

 iavorable, and whose funds are consecrated to such purposes. The enter- 

 prise requires no great outlay of money, no gigantic effort. It may go 

 noiselessly, but rapidly into operation. There is nothing to p«i'event its 

 immediate usefulness. 



The commissioners appointed to examine and report upon the project, 

 considered not only its general features, but also its minute details. To 

 them were submitted the rules proposed for cataloguing, which were sepa- 

 rately discussed, and after having been variously amended and modified, 

 were recommended for adoption. It is not supposed that this code provides 

 forcvei\y case that will occur. The peculiarities of books are, like the 

 idiosyncracies of authors, innumerable. They baffe the best eilorts at 

 chissification, except under general heads. The most elaborately formed 

 laws for recording their titles would be inadequate to provide for entire 

 uniformity or consistency. Doubts and difficulties would inevitably arise as 

 to the application of the laws. These must, to prevent varying decisions, 

 i)e submitted to one person. Hence it is important that the first part of 

 the work, which will furnish examples for the rest, should be done under 

 the immediate eye of the superintendent. 



Easy as the operation may seem, to those who have never attempted if, 

 there is no species of literary labor so difficult, or that requires knowdedge 

 so extensive and various, as the cataloguing of a large library. It demands 

 peculiar qualifications of patience and accuracy, and a special education — a 

 professional training. Even those most expert must work slowly, if 

 they would avoid mistakes. It is therefore a great consideration that, on 

 this plan, each title, once prepared, is prepared lor all the libraries in which 

 the book occurs ; wdiereas, on any other, time and thought and labor are 

 repeated for every copy of the book. 



From the favor with which the plan has been met, it can hardly be doubted 

 that it will receive the hearty and vigorous co-operation of all the libraries 



