are quite consistent with the previous decisions for the Mitchell Library, were noted with approval:

I. That the library should, as far as practicable, represent every phase of human thought and every variety of human opinion.

II. That books of permanent value and of standard interest should form the principal portion of the library, and that modern books of value and importance should be added from time to time, as they are published.

III. That it should contain those rare and costly works which are generally out of the reach of individual students, and which are not usually found in provincial or private libraries.

It was remarked that in such a city as Glasgow, with so great a population, with such variety of circumstances and interests, with students of every branch of knowledge, with professors of every shade of opinion in politics, in philosophy, and in religion, the demands upon the library would be of the most various kinds, and that if it was to fulfil its founder's intentions, these demands should as far as possible be met. It was decided also that special attention should be given to securing books on Scottish subjects, and particularly those relating to the city.

With these objects in view, lists of representative standard works were prepared, and distributed to most of the leading dealers in books in the kingdom, with a request that they would report such of the works as they had in stock. Nearly fifty sets of the lists were sent out, and a large proportion of them returned with offers. By this means the Committee were enabled to select a large number of books on very advantageous terms.

In the meantime, the temporary rooms in Mr. Neil's building were furnished for the service of the library. The arrangement adopted was to devote the western portion of each of the rooms to readers, and the eastern portion of each was fitted with book-cases, the servicecounter, the catalogues, and the staff being in the centre. The accommodation for readers consisted of chairs fitted with hat-rails, and tables furnished with umbrella rails. A hoist was provided to communicate

between the two floors. The books were removed from the City Chambers to the library rooms in July.

During this month the library received a donation of great value from the Senate of the University of Glasgow, consisting of volumes selected from the duplicates (other than those bequeathed by Mr. Euing, before referred to) in the University Library. The whole number of volumes in this important gift was fully 2,000, and they included many books of great worth; among them

A large number of books printed by the Brothers Foulis; Wieland's Werke, 40 volumes, Leipzig, 1794-1800; the rare first edition of the Works of Sir Thomas More, London, 1557, containing all the unnumbered leaves which are often absent from copies; Tryal of Dr. Henry Sacheverell, London, 1710; Bacon's Novum Organum, London, 1620; Huttich, Imperatorum et Caesarum Vitae, 1534; Operae Horarum Subcisivarum, sive Meditationes Historicae, Philip Camerarius, 1606; Roma Restituta, Thomas Bell, Glasgow, 1672; Grimeston's General Historie of the Netherlands, London, 1609; De Roma Triumphante, Blondus, Basil, 1559; Camden's Annales Rerum Anglicarum, London, 1615; Arnot's Criminal Trials in Scotland, 1785; Selden's History of Tythes, 1618; Dictionnaire des Sciences Naturelles, 71 volumes, Strasbourg, 1816-30; Memoires du Museum d'Histoire Naturelle, 20 volumes, Paris, 1815-32; Anthony à Wood, Antiquitates Universitatis Oxoniensis, Oxon., 1674; Bibliotheca Graeca, Fabricius, 8 volumes, Hamburg, 1790-1802; Homilae quinquaginta, Saint Macarius the elder, Paris, 1559; History of the Works of the Learned, 12 volumes, 1699-1710, surely one of the earliest reviews; De Vitis Stephanorum, Amsterdam, 1683; Naphtali, etc., 1680; Sir William Moore's True Crucifixe for True Catholickes, Edinburgh, 1629; John Row, Hebrææ Linguæ Institutiones, Glasgow, 1644, a very early specimen of Glasgow printing; Expositio Analytica Omnium Apostolicarum Epistolarum, David Dicson, Glasgow, 1645; Jansen, Paraphrasis in Psalmos Davidicos, Antwerp, 1614; Bacon's Sylva Sylvarum, 1651; Book of Common Prayer for the Use of the Church of Scotland, Edinburgh, 1637, the Jenny Geddes Prayer Book; Psalms of King David, translated by King James, London, 1636, not perfect; Clarke's Mirror for Saints and Sinners, London, 1657; Symson's Historie of the Church, London, 1634; Ptolemy, Opera, Basil, 1551; Petrarch, Opera quae extant omnia, Basil, 1581; Commentarii Linguae Graecae, Budens, 1529; Cicero, Opera, Paris, 1539; Psalmorum Davidis, Beza, London, 1580; Papismus Lucifugus, Menzies and Dempster, Aberdeen, 1668.

The books were next placed upon the shelves, an attempt being made to combine the advantages of an arrangement by subjects with those of an arrangement by size. As far as possible, all the books on a given subject were placed in the same press, while those of the same size were on the same shelf. For example, in the department of Foreign History and Topography, the works on Asia and Asiatic countries were placed together in one press-the larger books on the lower, and the smaller on the upper shelves. On each shelf the books were arranged in geographical order, commencing with the western and ending with the eastern countries of Asia, the result being that all the works relating to Palestine, Syria, etc., were at the left hand, or first end of the shelves, while books on China, Japan, and the east coast, were at the right hand or last end, with the central parts of Asia between. The adjacency of books on the same subject was thus secured, but made vertical instead of, as is more usual, horizontal; and the waste and unsightliness of varying sizes of books on the same shelf avoided. A similar plan of arrangement was attempted in other classes, though all subjects do not lend themselves to this treatment so readily as does topography.

The alphabetical form of catalogue was adopted, from a strong conviction of its great superiority in libraries frequented by the general public. In this kind of catalogue each work is entered under the name of its author, when known, under its subject or subjects, and under its title, for example:-Gilfillan's "Bards of the Bible" is under Gilfillan, Bible, and Bards; Conder's "Tent-work in Palestine," under Conder, Tent-work, and Palestine; Davy's "Salmonia or Fly-fishing, under Davy, Salmonia, and Angling.

The result of this arrangement is that a reader, wishing to see a work by any given author, refers to his name, and sees at once if it is in the library; while a reader who desires to see what the library

possesses on a given given subject, finds under the name of that subject what books may be seen.

To illustrate the manner in which these entries under subjects place the reader in command of the resources of the library in the subjects on which he is seeking information, the following may be named, the numbers following them showing how many works in each case are already in the catalogue :-Africa, 55; Agriculture, 46; America, 64; Anatomy, 33; Angling, 49; Architecture, 118; Arctic, 31; Art, 169; Astronomy, 91; Bible, 270; Bibliography, 94; Biography, 74; Botany, 97; Britain, 79; Canada, 39; Chemistry, 80; Christianity, 109; Church, 166; Dictionary, 167; Drama, 101; Drunkenness, 30; Edinburgh, 85; Education, 97; Egypt, 52; Engineering, 49; England, 240; Entomology, 37; France, 116; Future State, 31; Gardening, 43; Geography, 54; Geology, 101; Geometry, 29; Glasgow, 428; Grammar, 138; Greece, 67; Health, 44; History, 91; India, 142; Ireland, 111; Iron, 21; Italy, 56; Jesus, 63; Land, 42; Language, 162; Law, 72; Libraries, 94; Literature, 136; London, 67; Man, 54; Music, 97; Natural History, 102; Natural Philosophy, 55; Ornithology, 43; Painting, 41; Palestine, 45; Philosophy, 106; Political Economy, 38; Physiology, 39; Poetry, 146; Religion, 75; Roman Catholicism, 48; Rome, 84; Russia, 48; Science, 99; Scotland, 714; Sermons, 136; Shakespeare, 111; Testament, Old and New, 108; Theology, 68; Trials, 30; United States, 128; Zoology, 30.

Slips were printed as books were added, and mounted in order, in large guard books, which are laid on the counters for the use of readers. A catalogue of a more comprehensive description, in which the same general principles are to be carried out with more thoroughness, is in preparation.

CHAPTER VIII.

Opening of the Library-First Book Issued-Rapid Increase of Readers-Magazine Room-Donations, Chalmers Bequest - Exchanges Gift of Early Glasgow Printing from Mr. J. Wyllie Guild-Moir Bequest-Purchase of the Burns Collection formed by Mr. James Gibson-More Donations-Improvement in Trade, Decrease of Attendance-Further Donations-Valuable Collection of Scottish Poetry received from Mr. Alex. Gardyne-Acquisition of the Gould Collection of Burnsiana-Still Further Donations-Growth of the Library-Use made of it by the Public-Progress probably without Precedent.

THE library was formally opened on 1st November by the Hon. James Bain (now Sir James Bain), Lord Provost. Amongst those who supported his lordship were, in addition to the members of the committee, Professor W. P. Dickson, Professor Grant, Sir James Watson, Dr. Marshall Lang, Mr. Michael Connal, Sheriff Lees, Mr. J. Wyllie Guild, Mr. Wm. Mitchell, and others. Addresses appropriate to the occasion were delivered, and earnest wishes expressed that the library might prove to be a popular and useful institution in the city.

The issue of books was commenced on Monday, 5th November, 1877. The first book asked for was "Liber Officialis Sancti Andree . . Sententiarum in Causis Consistorialibus que extant," edited by Cosmo Innes. The number of volumes issued during the day was 186, and a commencement was made in what has since become one of the marked characteristics in the use of the library, namely, the making of extracts for