b LIBRARIKS. 



opened to the public ; the total number of volumes then being 8,296. Few 

 institutions have been more favoured than this with noble and generous 

 gifts. The first of our benefactors was the late Sir William Brown. Bart., 

 who, by the offer in 1853 of £6,000 (afterwards increased in 1856 to 

 £12,000), endeavoured to spur the Corporation into taking speedy measures 

 for the erection of a free library of such proportions as would be a credit 

 to the town architecturally, and which, internally, would afford that accom- 

 modation which had become a pressing necessity. His generosity went even 

 further ; and, jealous of delay, and anxious to see erected during his lifetime 

 a free public library worthy of the greatness of Liverpool, he addressed, 

 on the 31st December. 1856, the following letter to the Mayor: — 



" My dear Sir, — I have been long desirous that Liverpool should 

 have a free public library and museum worthy of the town, where the 

 inhabitants — be their position in life what it may — can resort for intel- 

 lectual improvement ; and, as some of my relatives and friends have 

 expressed a wish that I should build one and present it to my fellow- 

 townsmen, I am prepared to do so on the site provided by the Cor- 

 poration. I have no wish to interfere with the resolution the Council 

 have already come to, of leaving the plans in the hands of the Corporation 

 Surveyor. Probably it will not be unreasonable for me to hope and 

 expect that, in some way or other, my name will be connected with it. 

 to show that I have endeavoured to be useful in my generation ; and 

 possibly it may encourage others who have the means to contribute to 

 useful public works, and that some of my family or executors may be 

 continued on the Managing Committee. 



Ever yours respectfully. 



William Brown." 



The burden of cost being thus removed from the shoulders of the Council, 

 invitations were issued to architects for plans for a suitable building, and 

 a premium of 200 guineas was offered for the best design submitted. In 

 the competition which followed, preference was ultimately given to the 

 designs of Mr. Thomas Allom. an architect of some eminence in the literary 

 as well as the art world, and whose works are worthily represented on the 

 shelves of our library. This important matter decided, and all preliminaries 

 arranged, the foundation stone of that part of this Institution known as 

 the Brown Library was laid on the 15th April 1857 by Sir William 

 Brown; and, the building having been completed, it was opened to the 

 public on the 18th October, 1860, the occasion being marked by no little 

 ceremony and many expressions of public satisfaction. 





