12 



Eeefer 133, Pelham 120, Pilot 102, Handy Andy 86, Pickwick 77, 

 Henrietta Temple 56. Novels of a nautical character much run upon. 



Ca^assical Literature. — In this class 135 volumes have been 

 lent. Homer's Iliad and the Orations of Demosthenes have been a 

 good deal in request. 



Great care is taken of the books by the readers generally, scarcely 

 any cause of wilful injury has been noticed, and out of 36,000 volumes 

 lent only one volume of the value of 2s. 6d, has been lost without re- 

 placement. Eight books have been lost by bon-owers and replaced, and 

 only in two instances has a guarantee been called on to pay for the 

 defalcation of a reader. 



Many persons commence reading a work in several volumes, 

 but comparatively few go right through ; for instance, one copy of 

 Gibbon's Rome, the earlier volumes lent 28 times, while later _ ones 

 have only been lent 3 times, Rollin's Ancient History, 1st vol., 17 

 readers, the 8th 3 ; while on the other hand there are many carrying 

 on a consecutive course of reading, evidently with a view to improve- 

 ment. A labouring man in the north district has read since the 

 Library opened, Gibbons's Rome, Universal History, Macaulay's En- 

 gland, and is now going through Lingard, as he says, '* he wishes to 

 know both sides of the question." Another in the same district has 

 read Macaulay, the Universal History, and is now reading Alison. 

 At the South, two working men have read Moore's and Scott's Poetical 

 Works, and one Byron. Another has read Rollin's Ancient History, 

 and is at present going through Alison. A poor man at the extremity 

 of Toxteth Park has been reading ever since the Library opened the 

 " Mirror ;" he has now reached the 33rd volume. To obtain this one 

 book it is calculated he has already walked upwards of 100 miles. 



It is a noticeable fact, that the larger proportion of solid reading, is 

 among the really working classes, the lighter literatiu-e more among 

 young men in offices and shops. 



It has been found that works after having circulated from 35 to 

 40 times, require binding, which may be done to advantage four times. 

 Consequently, a book after having been in the hands of from 150 to 

 200 readers, will recpiire replacing, the more ]iopular about once every 

 throe or four years. 



It lias been found necessary to impose fines for detention of books 



