138 
THE ROYAL LIBRARY. 
man Classics, printed by the Alduses, the Stephenses, 
the Elzevirs, and other more eminent typographers, and 
principally by very costly specimens of the productions 
of the Press during its earliest history. The collection of 
Caxtons is singularly extensive. Passing by nine Presses 
in the centre of this side of the Room thus occupied, 
the series of Historians is resumed, and embraces the 
writers on the history of Holland, the Netherlands, the 
Northern nations, and of the kingdoms and tribes of 
people inhabiting Asia, Africa, and America. Works 
on Antiquities, Manners, Customs, Monuments, Numis¬ 
matics, and Inscriptions, come next in order, and are 
succeeded by much that is valuable and important in 
Heraldic, Biographical, and Literary History. A nu¬ 
merous collection of the Transactions of the most dis¬ 
tinguished Scientific and Literary Societies occupies the 
remaining Presses of this side of the Room. 
The Books deposited in the Galleries are arranged in 
nearly the same systematic order as those in the Presses 
below. 
The Tables on the Floor of the Room are occupied by 
a most curious, splendid, and useful collection of Geo¬ 
graphy. In the 124 Cases entitled General Atlas, are 
contained, topographically arranged, Maps and Charts of 
every part of the Globe, and numerous plans and views 
of Towns, Buildings, Villas, Gardens, &c., &c., mostly 
engraved : there are, however, among them some original 
drawings. 
This room was built by Sir Robert Smirke, the archi¬ 
tect of the Trustees, expressly to receive the noble col¬ 
lection which it now contains. It is 300 feet long, 41 feet 
wide between the walls at each end, 55 feet in the centre, 
and 30 feet high. The four granite columns in the centre 
are 25 feet high, including the bases and capitals. The 
shafts are 2 feet 6 inches in diameter, in single blocks of 
Peterhead granite. The capitals are of Derbyshire ala¬ 
baster. 
A. Panizzi. 
