,'79 1* " LITERARY INTELLIGENCER. jjO 



pearance, (otherwife bringing a written recommendation, 

 trom fome known perlbn of a reputable characler), fhall 

 have accels to the common hall, which (hall at thefe times 

 be kept properly heated, having alfo benches, and conve- 

 nient reading deiks, where luch perfons may confult thfe 

 catalogues; and, on -ailing rbr any volume in that cata- 

 logue, (hall have it brought to liim ; and Ihall be permitted, 

 in the prefence of the librarians, to read on it if he fhall i'o 

 incline; or to make cxtraifls fjom it, while the doors con* 

 tinue open. Perhaps it. might be found neceffary to lay 

 fome greater reftridlions on reading, than is mentioned 

 here, to prevent books from being too much ufcd. P.^r- 

 haps no books fhould be lent for reading to any perfon., iiUt 

 in conferjuence of an order from fome particular pedon, 

 which Ihould neTer, however, be refufed, on a proper ap- 

 plication, with reafons adigned for tlie demand. But no 

 book, or paper of any fort, (hall be allowed to be carried 

 out of the repofltory, c?i a7iy account ivbatever; nor fhall 

 it be lawf jI, for any perfon belonging to the repofitory, to 

 accept of fees or gratuities of any fort, under any pretext. 



By this means v.-ould be obtained in time, without any 

 expence to the nation, or hardfliip to individuals, a more 

 complete colledlion of materials for hiflory, and other dif- 

 quiiltions concerning civil foclety, than ever yet was formed 

 by any nation in the univerfe. Here, the philofopher, who 

 wiflied to contemplate the progi-efs of the human mind, 

 would find a fund of authentic materials, greater than has 

 hitherto been attainable, by the higheft liretch of human 

 induftrv. He could with eaic tranfport himfelf back to any- 

 period he chofe, and could diftinclly fee, what were the ob- 

 jects that engaged the attention of men at that period ; 

 what was their attainments in fcience, in arts, commerce, 

 ftianufaAures, manners. He could fee, in what manner 

 they wrote, and thought, and reafoned. By going forward, 

 lie could diftindly trace the various changes in opinion, 

 tiifliion, knowledge. One period might be compared with 

 snotlier; and in tlie fpacc of a few weeks, might be per- 

 Vol. I. R 



