112 
induces me to offer a few remarks in your 
liberal and widely-circulated publication, 
concerning the probabie means of avoid- 
ing thofe evils which appear to have been 
the principal caufes of their decline. 
Thefe evils are, derangement of the 
finances, and the lofS§ of books ; both 
equally fatal to fuch inftitutions, and both 
enly to be cured by an originally well- 
adapted plan, ftedfaftly and rigoroufly ad- 
hered to. 
Though E wifh well to thofe plans for 
the advancement of literature which have 
a certain fplendour about them, and take 
in an extenfive range, yet experience has 
fufficiently fhewn, that, even in the me- 
tropolis, economy is 2 very neceflary con- 
Gideration, and that expences lightly incur- 
red are in the end unwillingly fupported. 
I conceive, therefore, that ina new infti- 
tution it would be right to be confined to 
what is abfolutely effential to the defign ; 
and this, in a book-fociety, is fimply the 
providing of good books toread. A coffee. 
houfe or a lounging-room isat leaf atotal- 
ly detached, if not an incompatible, part of 
a reading-eftablifhment. By cutting off 
thefe fuperfluous parts, a vatt faving of 
expence is inftantly made ; for, initead of 
a {uite of rooms fitted up for company, all 
that becomes neceflary is, a fingle apart- 
ment large enough to hold the books, with 
a kind of box or office for the librarian. — 
This fcantinefs would alfo favour the other 
great end, that of fecuring the books ; as 
the further development of my pian will 
thew. 
Let there, then, be a fingle library- 
room, with a fmall antechamber, afford- 
ing the only accefstoit. Inthis let there 
be a kind of counter running acrofs, with 
the librarian’s defk behind it; and let it 
be an inviolable rule, that no one paffes 
the counter but the librarian himfelf. Let 
all who come for books make their {pecific 
cemand at the counter, and leave it to the 
librarian to fupply it; and let him, before 
delivering each book, enter the number 
and the perfon’s name in his regifter kept 
for the purpofe. It at any future period, 
when the fociety’s ftock is large, it fhall 
be thought advifeable to admit fub{cribers 
toa view of the library, ftill let the books 
be all kept in locked cafes, covered with 
wired lattices, all opening by one key, 
in the librarian’s fole pofi ffion, who fhall 
only be cbliged to unlock them in oider 
Sketch of a Book-Society. 
[Sept, 1, 
to deliver the book individually requefted. 
And having thus given the librarian the full 
power of fecuring the books from depre- 
dation, let him be ftriétly anfwerable for 
all loffes, except where the reftoration of 
books, after the proper period, is pertina- 
cioufly refufed, in which cafe the compul- 
fion becomes the fociety’s affair. Let the 
librarian be held to no other attendance 
than from ten to three oclock in the day, 
which will allow him to follow fome other 
occupation in the evening. Leta limit be 
affigned for the time of reading each book, 
beyond which a daily but moderate for- 
feiture fhall be incurred ; and let it be a 
rule, that, till this is paid, the delinquent 
fhall have no further ufe of the library.— 
Of this forfeit, let half goto the librarian 
for his trouble in charging and colieGting 
it, and the other half to the fociety. 
Let the fit fet of fubfcribers pay down 
one or two guineas each at the opening of 
the fcheme, in order to defray preliminary 
expences, and fet things a-going ; and let 
that day be the anniverfary of the future 
payment of the annual fubfcriptions of 
one guinea, and of fettling the bookiellers* 
and other accounts ; ail intervening tuba 
{cribers to pay their admiifion money at 
entrance, and their fubfcription at the ge- 
neral anniverfary. 
I do not here mean to difcufs the points 
of the mode of electing committees, their 
poivers, duration, and the like ; but, in 
order to prevent the exceflive and impro- 
vident ordering of books, let each meets 
ing of the committee be reftritted to a cer- 
tain proportion of the annual fubfcription 
tor its difburfement. 
Let there be an annual review of all the 
books, by a delegation from the fubferi. 
bers appointed for the purpofe, who fhall 
have power to charge the hbrarian with 
any Icflzs incurred by his negleé. 
Thele are a few leading ideas directed 
to the prevention of what I confider as 
the immediate caufes of the diffulution of 
book-focieties. Were the rules here fug- 
getted put actively in force, I have little 
doubt that a very moderate number of fub- 
{cribers would be adequate to the purchafe 
of all the valuable books as they come 
out, and to the gradual formation of a 
ftock-library, capable of fupplying moft 
of the literary wants of the members. 
Your’s, &c. BIBLIOPSILUSy 
Te 
