Mis. No. 48. 59 



Washington, July 15, 1S4S. 

 My dear sir: I have examined Mr. Stevens's plan for a Biblioeraphia 

 Americana, and believe it to be an excellent one. * » • • 



As an evidence of my belief in the importance of the work and of Mr. 

 Stevens's qnalifications for preparing it for the press, I may refer to the 

 fact that I have subscribed two hundred and fifty dollars towards it upon 

 the terms detailed in Mr. Stevens's prospectus. 

 Yours, very truly, 



PETER FORCE. 

 Prof. Joseph Henry, 



Secretary of SinWisonian Institution. 



Cambridge, July 24, 1S4S. 



My dear sir: You ask my opinion of Mr. Stevens's plan of a biblio- 

 graphical account of books relaliiig to America, and of those printed in 

 America prior to 1700. Having examined his plan, and from the nature 

 of my studies having attended much to this subject, I cannot hesitate to 

 express the belief that such a work completely and faithfully executed, 

 would be a most important acquisition to our historical literature. He 

 proposes not only to give the titles of the books, but to inspect every work, 

 and to add bibliographical remarks to such cfe require illustrations of this 

 kind, and moreover to indicate the principal libraries in which they may 

 be found. 



Many of these books are extremely rare, and are scattered in various 

 libraries. I think it may be with safetj'' affirmed, that not a single work 

 on the first settlement and early history of any one of the old States has 

 been written with the use of all the books relating to the subject; first, be- 

 cause in many cases, the authors did not know of the existence of the 

 books; and secondly, because when they possessed this knowledge they 

 had no means of ascertaining where the books could be found. Hence 

 all the books relating to our early history, written in modern times, are 

 more or less defective and erroneous, even where the authors have done 

 their best to secure fullness and accuracy. It is easy to perceive what ad- 

 vantage these writers would have derived, and the public through them, 

 from a work like the one proposed. 



For use in libraries it will also be of great value, serving not only as a 

 catalogue of all the books relating to America in any library, but likewise 

 of all in which it is deficient, thereby enabling librarians to ascertain this 

 deficiency at a single glance, and to supply it as occasions may arise. 



If 1 may judge from my own experience, the want of such a book is 

 more extensively felt than may at first be imagined. During the last few 

 yeyrs I have had innumerable applications from persons making historical 

 researches in various parts of the country, requesting me to point out ma- 

 terials and their sources. 



Mr. Stevens possesses uncommon facilities for executmg the task. He 

 has been educated at one of our principal universities, and his employment 

 in collecting and purchasing this class of books for the British Museum, 

 and other libraries, has given him a practical knowledge essential to this 

 undertaking, and which can scarcely be attained by any other individual, 

 as the same combination of circumstances is not likely again to occur. 



