relied upon, sacrifices must be made of the greatest importance to many of the Proprietors, and even to the stability of the Institution;—at length brought forward a proposal for raising such an income, by requiring, under the authority of Parliament, an Annual Contribution from each shareholder; or, which might be equivalent, obtaining from each, under the same authority, a resignation of their present right, to be re-procured by an annual contribution. With this view a statement of the design was laid before Mr. Charles Butler, the Standing-Counsel of the Institution, who advised that a petition should be addressed to the Legislature, reciting the circumstances under which such a Bill was required; and at a Special General Court of Proprietors, held on July 20th, 1820, the following Resolutions were passed almost unanimously.-"1. That this Court approves of the proposal for providing a fund sufficient for the support of the London Institution in all its departments, by a contribution under legislative authority, of a sum not exceeding Two Guineas Annually from every Proprietor: Provided that, under the same authority, every Dissentient Proprietor, who may signify such dissent before a day to be named, be entitled to receive from the funds of the Establishment the value of his share, at a price to be fixed, and inserted in the Bill, with the consent of a General Court of Proprietors.-2. That the Managers be authorised to take effectual measures, for ascertaining the Assent or Dissent of absent Proprietors to the foregoing Resolution; and that, if warranted by the Assent, or forbearance to Dissent, of Threefourths of the effective Proprietors of the Establishment,they be authorised to take the preliminary steps for an application to Parliament for an Act, which, with all such provisions as may be suggested by able counsel, shall have the effect abovementioned." For executing the second of these Resolutions, a book was provided, in which the Dissent of any Proprietor might be recorded by his signature; or it might be expressed by letter to the Honorary Secretary, on or before the 29th of September. On Friday, February 9th, 1821, the Petition concluded on was introduced into Parliament by Davies Gilbert, Esq.; and on Monday, May 28th, the Bill received the Royal Assent under the title of an Act of the First and Second Years of George IV.

chapter lxxvii., "for providing an Increase of the Annual Income of the London Institution." a

By the funded property of the Corporation, and the subscriptions which this Act authorised to be raised, this Establishment is still supported.

I. BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE OF THE LIBRARY.

The honour of having most meritoriously and effectually commenced the excellent collection of books in the London Institution,-is to be attributed, to the prompt and well-directed exertions of the Library-Committee, and of the first Honorary Secretary, Samuel Woods, Esq. :-under whose direction Messrs. John and Arthur Arch were employed to procure some of the best editions and the most extensive standard works, which are required in the formation of a large library. At this time, books of established reputation in every class of literature, were in general both costly and of rare occurrence; whilst the continental war almost entirely prevented any additional supply of either ancient or modern foreign publications. It was, therefore, not sufficient to be possessed of funds for procuring books; but it became important closely to examine the catalogues of booksellers, and especially those of the sales of several very fine libraries, which took place at the time,-as still more certain sources whence the best works could be obtained. The only effectual course was, therefore, immediately to improve every such opportunity; and a collection was thus made of considerable learning and extent of information; and one which, it is probable, at the present period could be hardly accumulated at all. In forming this Library, the principal aim was to fulfil the intention concerning it which had been announced in

The intermediate progress of this Act was as follows:-The petition having been committed on February 9th, 1821, on the 27th the report was made and leave given to bring in the Bill, which, on the 28th was presented and read. On March 5th it was read a second time, and committed; on April 16th it was reported and agreed to with several amendments; and on the 19th it was passed by the House of Commons and referred to the Lords. On May 9th it was returned to the Lower House with some farther amendments, which on the 11th were considered and adopted. A copy of the Bill will be found annexed to the printed Charter, Bye-Laws, and List of the Proprietors, of the London Institution.

b The sale which principally contributed to the foundation of the Library, was that of the books belonging to the Most Honourable William Petty, First Marquess of Lansdowne, and Earl of Shelburne; which was commenced on Monday, January 6th, 1806.

the original plan,--the acquirement of works of intrinsic value, and of most important reference and utility. That the endeavours of the Managers, in this particular, have been attended with the greatest success, will be best exemplified by the following notices, partly taken from the excellent review of the whole collection of books, drawn up by Mr. Maltby, the present Honorary Librarian, and attached to the Yearly Report for 1830.

In forming an English Metropolitan Library, the first object was a proper supply of British History, Literature, and Biography: and, therefore, the departments containing them, with those of English Antiquities and Topography, were, from the first, carefully selected and copiously furnished; and have been ever since regularly and considerably increasing. In the latter class, in particular, this collection is believed to be one of the finest in Britain.-It was not considered, however, of the same importance, that the divisions of Theology, Law, and Medicine, should be made equally extensive; since the students of those subjects exclusively, would more naturally have recourse to the Libraries of Sion College and Red Cross Street, of the Inns of Court, and of the Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons : but in all those classes are contained the works of some of the best authors; and especially several scarce and valuable collections of Foreign Laws, not frequently to be found in the public libraries of England. The class of General and Foreign History and Topography, is both copious and curious; as well as those relating to General Antiquities, and the History of the Fine Arts, each of which contains many of the most costly and excellent introductions, works of reference, and collections.-In the department of Voyages and Travels will be found nearly all the best and most interesting narratives, whether published separately or in connection; illustrated by large and numerous Atlases, Maps, and Charts, both Ancient and Modern.—In the larger Scientific Works, and particularly in those relating to Mathematics, the Library is well supplied; and the History of Science and Literature is likewise copiously illustrated by a very fine body of interesting Memoirs and Transactions of nearly all the existing Academies and Learned Associations, both British and Foreign. The department of Continental Literature is furnished with excellent editions of some of the principal French

:

Authors, and with many of the most admired works of those of Spain and Italy; though it is a subject of regret that very considerable additions are wanting to render this class equal to the greater part of the collection. In the contemporaneous history of England, as exhibited in Periodical Publications and Parliamentary Documents and Records, the Library is extremely well provided and the Second Volume of this Catalogue is devoted to a particular account of several thousands of occasional Tracts and Pamphlets upon religious, political, and miscellaneous, subjects; the number of which is continually increasing.— The collection of Philology, including Literary History and Criticism, the productions of Miscellaneous Latin Authors, and Grammars and Dictionaries of a great variety of languages,— is more than usually complete; and the department containing the Classics is excellent, since it comprehends not only the best editions of the originals, but also the most approved Translations into English, French, and Italian.

The Library likewise possesses most of the best writers and books of reference upon the subject of Bibliography, with a very useful collection of Catalogues: and under this class it may be observed, that the volumes exhibit numerous esteemed and rare editions from the early presses of Germany, Italy, and France; and fine specimens of the printing of the celebrated Antoine Verard, the Wechels, the Stephani, Claude Morel, Christopher Plantin, Johann Froben, Guarinus, Hieronymus Commelin, Henricus Petrus, the Aldi, the Sessæ, Gabriel Giolito, and the Giunti: as well as some from the English Printers,— Julian Notary, Peter Treveris, Richard Grafton, Thomas Marshe, John Cawood, and various others.-A few of the more remarkable bibliographical curiosities of the Library are enumerated in the following list, commencing with Books Printed in the Fifteenth Century.

PAULUS OROSIUS: Historiarum Initium ad Aurelium Augustinum. Folio. Without Date or Place of Imprint, but bearing the name of Leonardus De Basilea, who was associated with Herman Lichtensteyn, and probably printed this edition at Vicenza, about 1472. It is executed in the Roman letter, and has the first initial and margin illuminated in the later Italian style.

NICOLAUS DE AUSMO: Liber qui dicitur SUPPLEMENTUM (Pisanellæ.) Colophon. Impressum est hoc opus Venetiis, per Franciscum De Hailbrun et Nicolaum De Frankfordia, socios. M.CCCC.LXXIIII. Small Quarto. Printed in the Italian Gothic letter, with Arabic Numerals.

HONORE BONNET: L'ARBRE DES BATAILLES.-Colophon. Imprimé à Paris, le viij jour de Juing, Mil. cccc. quatre vingtz et treize; par Anthoine Verard. -Small Folio. Printed in the Secretary Gothic letter; with Verard's Device, and numerous curious Engravings on Wood.

LIBRI CRONICARUM; cum Figuris et Ymaginibus ab Inicio Mundi.-Large Folio. The fine and celebrated work usually called the Nürnberg Chronicles. Printed in the large square Gothic letter of Germany, at Nürnberg, by Anthony Köberger, with a profusion of very large and spirited Wood-cuts, by Michael Wolgemuth, the Master of Albrecht Dürer, and Wilhelm Pleydenwurff. “Finished the 12th of the Month of July, in the Year of our Salvation, 1493.” THESAVRVS CORNVCOPIE et HORTI ADONI DIS.-Colophon. Venetiis, in domo Aldi Romani summa cura laboreque præmagno. Mense Augusto M.IIII.D. (1496). Small Folio. A series of Grammatical Tracts in the Greek language, from the remains of thirty-four ancient Grammarians; with a Latin table and addresses.

LIBER CRONICARUM; cum Figuris et Ymaginibus, ab Inicio Mundi usque nunc Temporis.-Colophon. Impressum ac Finitur in Vigilia Parificationis Mariæ in Imperiali Urbe Augusta, à Johanne Schensperger. Anno ab Incarnatione Domini M.cccc.xcvij.—Small Folio. Printed in the Gothic letter, with many Wood-cuts, reduced from those in the Nürnberg Chronicles, of which this work is an abridgement and continuation.

ALBERTUS MAGNUS TRACTATUS VARII; Continentur-Liber de Muliere Forti.-Paradisus Animæ.-Sermones xxx11. Aurei.-Colophon. Impressus Colonie, per me Henricum Quentell. Anno Virginalis Partus: Mcccc.xxxviij Mensis Julij. die xx.—Small Quarto. Printed in both the Gothic and Roman letter.

Opus preclarum SUPPLEMENTUM CHRONICARUM vulgo appellatum: in omnimoda Historia, nouissime congesta Fratris Jacobi Philippi Bergomensis. -Colophon. Impressum Venetiis, per Magistrum Bernardinus ricium De Nouaria: Anno à Nativitate Domini M.cccc.lxxxxij. die decimoquinto Februarii.-Small Folio. Printed in the Italian Gothic letter, with a border round the title-page, and many other Wood-cuts engraven in outline.

POLIPHILI HYPNEROTOMACHIA. (The Contentions of Love seen in a Vision.-Attributed to Francesco Colonna, under the name of Polyphilus.)— Colophon. Venetiis, mense Decembri M.ID. (1499) in Ædibus Aldi Manutii accuratissime. Small Folio. Printed in the Roman letter, with a very great number of elegant outline Wood-Engravings.

The Legende named in Latyn Legenda Aurea, that is to saye in Englysse the GOLDEN LEGENDE.-Whyche werke I dyde accomplysshe and fynysshe att Tempell barr, the xvi daye of Feverer. The yere of oure lorde a Thousande ccccciij. And in the xix yere of the reynge of Kynge Henry the vij. By me Julyan Notary. Folio. Black-Letter. With curious Wood-Cuts.

SUPPLEMENTUM SUPPLEMENTI CHRONICARUM; ab ipso Mundi Exordio vsque ad Redemptionis nostræ Annum, M.ccccc.x. Small Folio. Printed in the Roman letter, at Venice, by Georgius De Rusconibus, August 20th, 1513.

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