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Library, is an able exponent. His views were laid before the public many years ago, and are now being carried into effect in the catalogue of the Free Reference Library.*

A catalogue Dr. Crestadoro regards as having a double function. One is to indicate with all possible exactness the title of every book in the library. The second is to direct the inquirer as speedily as possible to any author, and to any subject he may want. The difference in object suggests the advisability of separating the two processes. The first part of the catalogue is called principal entries or inventorial catalogue, the second the index or finding catalogue. The first part need not be in alphabetical order at all. It is immaterial what form it takes. It may even be classified. Each entry, however, must have a consecutive number. The principal entry consists of the title of the book, giving either all the words contained upon the title page, or where space is an object, omitting that surplusage in which some authors-and especially the older ones-delight. All that this entry declares is that a work having such a title is in possession of the library. For the index, or " finding catalogue," every subject named upon the title page that is at all likely to be an object of inquiry is made into a brief separate entry. This process results in a concordance of every subject and author named in the titles of all the books in the library. It forms an

index of topics which embraces the smallest as well as the largest matters. It does not attempt to fit the books to a Procrustean bed of classification, but adopts the author's own statement as to the subject of his book. It very often happens that a title page does not do this correctly. Some err by excess, and some by under statement, whilst other titles are simply enigmas. These lacunoe so far as possible the cataloguer supplies to the principal entry, and his additions become equally material for the index-entries as are the author's own words. The difficulties arising from synonymes, from joint authorship, literary disguises, and changes of name, are obviated by cross references in the index. The system resembles the plan that has always been adopted in the calendars of MSS., with the addition of the important element of a concordance-index. The flexibility of the method is greatly in its favour. The principal entries once in type would never need to be reprinted. Each supplementary volume would contain an index to all of the principal entries.†

The Art of making Catalogues of Libraries; or a method to obtain in a short time a most perfect, complete, and satisfactory printed catalogue of the British Museum Library, by a Reader therein. London: Printed and sold by the Literary, Scientific, and Artistic Reference Office, No. 10, Brownlow Street, Holborn, 1856. 8vo. pp. 60.

† Catalogue of the Books in the Manchester Free Library. Reference Department. Prepared by A. Crestadoro, Ph.D., etc., etc., London, 1864, 8vo, pp. vii., 975. A supplementary volume, as large if not larger, is now in the press, and will be especially valuable on account of the number of instances in which the contents of important periodicals, etc., are given.

The plan may be illustrated by titles taken at random from the writer's bookshelves :

Liste Litteraire Philosophe ou catalogue d'Etude de ce qui a ete publie jusqu'a nos jours sur les Sourds-Muets; sur l'oreille, Pouie, la voix, le langage, la mimique, les aveugles, etc., etc. Par C. Guyot Dr. en Med. et R. T. Guyot Dr. en Droit, Instituteurs de Sourds-Muets, chevaliers de l'orde du Lion Neerlandais. Groningue: Ooomkens, Imprimeur de l'Universite. 1842. 8vo. pp. xv., 496, 63. No. 1.

In making the index entries each subject named in the title would be stated as briefly as possible. We should have :Deaf-and-Dumb. Catalogue of books relating to. Groningue. 1842.

Guyot.
No. 1.

There would be similar entries under the names of the authors and under the words "Catalogue," "Ear," "Hearing," "Voice," "Language," Mimicry," and "Blind." Each of these entries would refer to others of a similar import. Thus the searcher after works treating on Language would be reminded that there were others entered under the words "Speech," "Dialect," and so forth.

The difficulties of classification may be seen in the following longwinded title from which much superfluous matter has been omitted in the parts marked by asterisks.

(1) Polygraphic or the arts of (2) Drawing, (3) Engraving, (4) Etching, (5) Limning, (6) Washing [of (7) Maps and (8) Prints], (9) Varnishing, (10) Gilding, (11) Colouring, (12) Dyeing, (13) Beautifying and (14) Perfuming.** And a Discourse of (15) Perspective, (16) Chiromancy and (17) Alchymy. To which is also added, I. The one hundred and twelve (18) Chymical Arcanums of Petrus Johannes (19) Faber ** Translated out of Latin into English. II. An abstract of Choice Chymical Preparations fitted for Vulgar Use for curing most (20) Diseases incident to Humane Bodies. The fifth edition: enlarged** Adorned with twenty-four copper sculptures; the like never yet extant. By William (21) Salmon.** London, 1685, 8vo.

It will be seen by the figures that twenty index entries would be required to give clues to all the subjects treated in this quaint volume, which ranges from the philosopher's stone to the best method of making "pastils, or crons." The words in brackets are added to avoid ambiguity.

If some books err by the garrulity of their title pages, others are unduly curt.

Qvintvs Cvrtivs. Aldvs. Colophon. Venetii. in aedibvs Aldi et Andreæ Soceri. Mense Ivlio M.D. XX. 8vo.

Here the cataloguer would need to add the subject of the bookAlexander-and the name of its editor-F. Asulanus.

Where the author of an anonymous book is known his name should be added:

Readers! Walk up at once (it will soon be too late) and buy at a perfectly ruinous rate A Fable for Critics; or, better,-I like as a thing that the reader's first fancy may strike, an old-fashioned title page such as presents a tabular view of the volume's contents: A Glance at a few of our Literary Progenies (Mrs. Malaprop's word) from the tub of Diogenes; that is a series of jokes by a Wonderful "Quiz" who accompanies himself with a rub-a-dub, full of spirit and grace on the top of the tub. Set forth in October, the 21st day, in the year '48, by G. P. Putnam, Broadway. 12mo. pp. iii., 78.

This it will be seen is the now rare original edition of Lowell's Fable for Critics. In the same way where authors have written under assumed names the real name should be given. Where a book falsely professes to be by a certain author the reader should be warned.

The question as to the extent of such additions may safely be left to the individual taste. The reader of a catalogue will not be offended at finding there a statement of a fact already familiar to him, if he will remember that there was a time when the information would have been a novelty. Catalogues might be made much more useful than they are at present if the Contents" of books were oftener given, and the subjects indexed. There are many works whose varied interest cannot be surmised from the title page. A single example may suffice :

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A Memorial of Francis [Foster] Barham. A Selection of Autobiographical and other Compositions from his unpublished MSS., together with a few papers and reports of Lectures that have already been published. Edited by Isaac Pitman. London [Bath printed], 1875. 8vo. Chiefly printed in Phonotypy.

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This work includes, besides poems and autobiographical sketches, the following distinct articles and books:-" Plea for Evangelical Education,' "On Swedenborg's Theology," "Biblical Conversations, or Sacred Remedies for Secular Evils," "Essay on Sacred Poetry, The Office of the Preacher,' Memoirs of James Pierrepont Greaves," "Essay on Bibliography and Education," " Plea for Union and for Biblical Education," On the Advancement of Philosophy," "On Divinity; its manifestations and relations," "The Hot Waters of Bath,' Syncretism; its principles and objects,' ," "On the advancement of Literature, Science, and the Fine Arts," " Essay on Psalmody," "Life and Doctrines of Coleridge," "Alism," "Copernican Astronomy of the Bible," "Translations of Lokman's Arabic Fables," "Life and Times of John Reuchlin," "Rhymed Harmony of the Gospels." The statement of the contents of such miscellaneous books, and of the papers in volumes of "Transactions" and periodicals, would add greatly to

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the usefulness and suggestive of Catalogues. In connection with popular libraries it would probably be an advantage, if to some extent the critical function were exercised, and the inquirer directed to the authority on the subject he was "looking up." The young especially waste many valuable hours over second-rate books, simply because there is no one to tell them which is best. The catalogues of the Boston Free Libraries contain from time to time bibliographical notes that form capital guides to the study of the special topics to which they relate.

Bibliography has never received its fair share of recognition in England. Hence the poor and inaccurate book-lists with which many libraries have been content. With a more generous appreciation of the value of bibliography as the handmaid of every science, we shall see these relegated to merited obscurity, and in their place we shall have catalogues that will readily give a key that will unlock the hidden wealth of what Ruskin has called King's Treasuries.

LINOTYPE SLUGS AND CATALOGUES.

In the Scientific American for November there is an interesting article from the pen of Mr. Howard S. Leach, the Reference Librarian of the University Library, Princetown, U.S.A., explaining the method employed at that Library of the use of linotype title-a-line slugs for keeping the catalogues up-to-date.

Each book in the library has one linotype slug, which is a solid strip of metal containing spaces for 100 letters, and in these spaces the name of the author with his initials, a short title for the book, the place and date of imprint, and the library call number.

The printed catalogue is in two parts, the first being the classified list, bringing all regularly classified titles on a given subject together, regardless of their location in the building. When this classified part is printed, the slugs are dissembled and rearranged in alphabetical order of the authors names, printed again, and the second part, that is, the author catalogue, is completed.

When not in use the slugs are placed in a small paper jacket, at the top of which is placed the title it contains, and are then filed away in small wooden galley trays, each tray containing about 68 titles, and the whole filed compactly in small pigeonhole shelves.

Having the title limited to one bar of 100 letter spaces makes the title units all alike in size, and minimises the danger of misprints and losses of portions of the entry, which is bound to happen if a title is allowed to run over into more than one bar.

G. R. A.

LETTERS ON OUR AFFAIRS.

DEAR ARISTONYMOUS,

My time of late has been much occupied with winter work, and that is why you have had only a brief letter from me of late. So busy was I, indeed, that I could not get to the Conference, and only judged it by your own letter and the newspaper reports. Perhaps I was hasty and uncharitable in my judgment, as you sagely remark in your private note to me. Attribute that to my advancing years, and the sullen fury that all ageing men feel because so few of their dreams come to fulfilment with the passage of time.

THE LONDON MERCURY.

One dream I have cherished, and will not willingly forego, is that a saner and more informed public opinion of public libraries is growing up, only to be disturbed by the occasional recrudescence of out-worn opinions (as I imagined) in the 'press. Now, have you read the Editorial Notes in The London Mercury for November? The editor is Mr. J. C. Squire, whom I prefer to think of as an accomplished poet who may yet go a long way, rather than as a critic and editor, although I know his achievement in these two other capacities is a high one. His remarks seem sane enough, and are restrained; their only fault (a rather serious one, I trow) is that they have small relation to actuality. Did you know that we public librarians dispensed 90 per cent. of fiction annually? Did you know that it was quite impossible to keep in touch with the best in current literature, because experience in the Editorial Offices of The London Mercury had demonstrated the fact abundantly? Did you know that a librarian was so immersed in the administrative details of his business that he had little or no time (certainly insufficient time) for any such contact with literature as was desirable in a librarian? This is all stated or implied in these notes, which are well-meant and sympathetic in tone.

UNCONVINCED.

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These remarks were all made at a meeting of the L.A.A. two months ago, and were then challenged and (as I am told) disproved. But Mr. Squire was either unconvinced, or his copy was too good to be wasted, and the statements were, therefore, repeated with but minor modifications. That is a great pity, but it does demonstrate that a vast amount of public propaganda is still necessary in order to show such men of standing and of culture as Mr. Squire that their views are founded upon a state of things which has long been merely historical. They need telling that there is an apparatus of bibliographical tools and other means, known to the librarian, but apparently unknown to some editors, which makes the state of affairs he describes impossible in modern libraries. But, candidly (and we must face facts), it is quite possible that Mr. Squires' own experience (limited, he admits it to be, and merely occasional) has been unfortunate. Some public libraries are still in the historical period, and so long as indicators, unclassified shelves, and badly catalogued books exist in any single place, the criticism

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