1806. ] 
To the Editor of ihe Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
HE News.room and Library in 
Moleley-ftreet, Manchefter, (which 
has not yet obtained a diftinétive appel- 
Jation,) being completed, it may not be 
uninterefting to communicate to the pub- 
lic, through the medium of your impartial 
publication, in what manner the defign 
originated. 
The building is certainly elegant, and 
an ornament to the town 3 and, uniting 
both a news-room and a circulating-libra- 
ry, as well as a reading-room, feems well 
calculated for general utility. 
An inititution embracing thefe diffe- 
rent objeéts had long been a defideratum, 
not only to keep pace with the increafing 
population of the town, and to gratify the 
thirft for knowledge which is now fo pre- 
valent, but to promote a greater degree of 
intercourie amongft the inhabitants. It 
is only furprifing the meafure fhould have 
been f> long delayed. 
But there is another very important 
light in which it may be confidered. 
Alrcady does it appear to have had con- 
fiderable influence in exci'ing a tafte for 
fuch eftablithments as have the accommo- 
dation of the public in view ; for to this 
caule probably may be attributed the in- 
tended commercial building in the Mar- 
ket-place, which will comprize a News. 
room, and other appendages, in a ftyle of 
ftil) greater extent and magnificence. Nor 
can I for a moment ‘uppofe i:s influence 
will ftop there. The various improve- 
ments now panning will no doubt be fcl- 
lowed by others equally beneficial to the 
town, and conducive to the fafety and con- 
venience of the community 3 and it is not 
impoflible that thofe who enjoy the be- 
nefits, may with, at fome future period, 
t» trace them to their origin. In this 
view, therefore, the ‘o.lowing fketch may 
probably be acceptable ; and I am happy 
in the « pportunity thus afforded me of do- 
ing jult-ce to the memory of my late wor- 
thy friend Mr. Robert Robinfon, who 
may be confidered as the founder of the 
inftituticn, | 
_ Ifeel fomewhat embarraffed on enter- 
ing upon the office which has unexpeéted- 
ly devolved upon me, as I fhall be obli- 
ged (from the thare I have had in thetraaf- 
action,) to fpeak of mylelf; but the ne- 
cellity of the cafe will, I tru@, be a fufi- 
cient apology. 
Inthe year 1795, Mr. R. Robinfon, 
now no yore, and mytelf, met at Liver. 
pool, and were led, cn vifiting the public 
places there, to wonder and lament that 
MonrTuxy Maa. No. 341. 
New Library and Reading- Room at}Manchefter. 
205 
in this large and opulent town there was 
no inftitution uniting the advantages of a 
news-room and hbrary, on an extenfive 
and liberal pian. 
After fome converfation, the opinion 
was, that fuch a {cheme would require 
three hundred fubfcribers, at fifteen gui- 
neas each, and that it would not be prac- 
ticable at that time to obtain this num- 
ber; but this did not prevent our frequent- 
ly adveiting tothe project, in the hope of 
{ceing it carried into effect, 
Two or three years afterwards, an at- 
tempt was made by the Committee of the 
Old Library, (then in Prince’s-ftreet, now 
in King’s-{trect,) of which we were mem- 
bers, to augment the annual fubf{cription 
from half-a guinea to a guinea, for the 
purpofe of building a commodious room 
for the recepticn of the books, anda read- 
ing-room for the ufe of the fub({cribers, 
lans were procured, and a plot of land 
fixed upon, and fevera!l gentlemen came 
forward, offering the fum required, (about 
8col.,) which was to have been repaid by 
inftaiments. “Tbe propefal was rejected ; 
and this was thought a favourable time for 
producing the icheme of a new and feparate 
eftablifhment. 
About this time we had frequect oppor- 
tunities of difcuffing the fubjest 5 and at 
length the opinion feemed to be, that ac- 
tivity and perfeverancr on the part ofa few 
gentl:men who wifhed well to the under- 
taking, were alone wanting to complete it. 
A few rules were then drawn up by 
Mr. Robinfon and myfelf, merely fignify- 
ing, that thofe gentlemen who might think 
proper to give their names, were willing 
to join in the expence of building a News- 
room and Libsary ona liberal feale, either 
in Mofeley-ttreer or Fountain-freet : that 
thefubfcription fhould be thirteen guineas, 
exclufiive of two guineas a-year for the 
maintenance of the inflitution ; the num- 
ber of proprietors not to exceed three 
hundred. It was alio agiced that we 
fhould immediately begin to folicit fub- 
{criptions, either togeiher ov feparately, 
as might be moft convenient 5 but the bu. 
finefs was almolt exclifively performed by 
Mr. Robinfon, (though feveral other gen- 
tlemen kindly lent their affiftance,) and 
few couid have undertaken the tafk witha 
greater probability of fuccefs. 
A gocd heart, a found underfanding, 
and-an unbjemiihed character, had gained 
him the efteem of ell his acquaintance, as 
well as endeared him to his relatives and 
fricnds, who were numerous, and highly, - 
reivectable; and being offenfiveto no par- 
ty, he was eminently quaiified to overcome 
D thoie 
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