THE WORLD’S GREATEST LIBRARY.

New Zealand Graphic, 6 April 1907, Page 19

THE WORLD’S GREATEST LIBRARY.

It has been said that the Seven Won dersj of the World are the Pyramids ot Egypt, the Hanging Gardens of fhibyloit. the tomb of Mausolus, the Temple of Diana at Ephesus, the Colossus of Rhodes, the statue of Zeus by Phidias, ami the Pharos of Alexandria. This dictum at the time it was made was undoubtedly true ; but during the last hundred an J fifty years, on the spot formerly occupied by the famous Montague House in Bloomsbury, London, there have gradually been gathered together antiquarian, literary, and scientific collections which, although they do not possess the massive grandeur of the Pyramids or the exquisite beauty of design shown in some of the triumphs of past ages, are still as wonderful as. any of these, illustrating as they do the history of the world from its very infancy. The building which contains these collections is the British Museum; and it is somewhat remarkable that a. structure erected to accomnuvlate collections showing the gradual growth of civilisation should stand on the grounds where, in 1780 were encamped the troops which were to quell the Gordon riots, one of I hi* centres of which was in Bloomsbury.

In this great building can be seen sculptures illustrating the history of Egypt from the time of the early Pharaohs—4ooo B.c. —an immense number of household articles, jewellery, vases, tablets of the dead, tools, etc., typifying the oppression of the Children of Israel unde? Raineses IL, right through the captivity, together with the coffins of ancient.

priestesses, with inscriptions of prayers to the protecting gods, and the embalmed remains of the leading members of the numerous dynasties. Here, too, can be seen antiquities of Babylonia, Assyria, and ancient (Treece and Rome recovered from the tombs, many of them in a most extraordinary state. of preservation, despite the fact that they carry us back to the

time of Abraham; and, last but not least, there are fifty thousand volumes of manuscripts, including Latin and Greek papyri, found in the tombs of the ancient kings, containing the handwriting and seals of thousands of years; while close by the report, of the latest speech delivered by one of our leading statesmen may be read! On the death of Sir Ilans Sloane, the great physician and scientist, it was found that by his will his executors were empowered to offer to Parliament his fine library amt the whole of his vast collection of antiquities and works of art for twenty thousand pounds—thirty thousand pounds less than it had cost him. The offer was accepted, and an Act was passed in 1753 for ' the purchase of the museum or collection of Sir Hans Sloane, Bart, and of the Harleian collection of manuscripts, and procuring one general repository for the belter reception and more convenient use of the said collection and of the Cottonian Library and additions thereto.” The money was raised by means of a public lottery, the amount being three hundred thousand pounds. This sum also included the rust of Montague House. There , were one hundred thousand tickets issued of three pounds each. It was hope.l that the funds thus obtained would be sufficient not only to meet I he cost of extensions and repairs, but also to provide for tlie salaries of the oflicial.s. The collections, however, grew with such marvellous rapidity that eventually additional land had to be obtained close to the Museum at a cost of two hundred thousand pounds, and a separate museum for the natural history collection had to be erected at Smith Kensington. When George IV. gave what is known as the King’s Library to the nation—a library which cost one huivlred and thirty thousand pounds, and which contains some of the greatest rarities in literature •—it was dei iiled to alter the whole character of the building. A separate library was erected to aWoinmodate the sixty-three thousand volumes given by His Majesty ; and in 1849 if was found necessary to erect the present niagniiie» nt reading room. This reading room contains one million two hundred and fifty thousand cubic feet of spaeje; and at. the time it was erected the surrouding libraries had an additional seven hundred and fifty, thousand cubic feet. TliCj building is constructed mainly of iron, with brick arches -between the main rib*. The library, which now contains >between three million aiiiffour million volumes, is without Exception the Iflrgest in

the world, the only one which approached it in size being the Bibliotheque Naltqa* ale, Paris; and it is interesting to not# that for the accoinmodaton of this immense number of books upwards of fortythroe miles of shelves are rispiired! For la'auty of design, elegance of construction, and symmetry of form, there is no building in London which will bear comparison with the reading room at (he .British Museum. In the centre is a platform, slightly raised, occupied by the superintendent and his assistants. Bound this platform, a few feet apart, arc two rows of desks arranged in the form of a circle, 'file desks —the outer one has a circ’iniforrnce of nearly two hundred feet are tilled with large catalogues, and radiating from the desks like the sjiokes of a great wheel are the long tables pro- \ ided for the readers. By an ingenious method, the tables are divided in the centre by a sort of partition which prevent* students from being disturbed by the readers on the other side. <hi the top of the p.irtition a number of electric incaiv descent lamps are fixed at intervals, ami just, underneath these arc shelves and book rests, which, wln ii i ot in use, tit flush with the partition. Each scat along the tables has a letter ami number, and the reader (who is provided with pen, ink, blotting-paper, and a chair), on tilling up the form when making application for a book, notifies the place where he is sitting, and the book is in due coursa brought to him by an attendant. The whole of the wall-space right round the room to the bottom of the dome is filled with the lore of many centuries. Within the reach of the readers on thw ground-floor there are twenty thousand works of reference, classified in their various subjects, and in regard to these m> application to the superintendent is ne-

cessary; while in the two galleries above there are fifty thousand additional volumes. The dome has a singularly dign tied appearance. At the bottom there is a massive cornice, and the inner surface of the dome is divided into two compartments, and these again are subdivided by beautiful ornamental panels. I lie light

is admitted through large windows which rise perpendicularly from the coinice. and by this arrangement ample opportunity- is afforded, owing to the curvature of tho dome, for a magnificent scheme of decornI ion.

The hiterior of tl.o reading room i-s one of the sights of London. Here foregather great historians, prominent politicians, and savants —men whose works have mitained a world wide popularity. Among the ‘•readers” in the past have been Guizot, Thiers. Louis Napoleon. Louis,, Philippe, Cavour. Garibaldi, Macau lay, Blackstone. Dr. Johnson, the father of Disraeli. David llune, the poiel Gray, Carlyle, Thackeray, Dickons, Lyt*ton, Huxley; ami, coming to later times, Gladstone, Lecky, Gardiner, \\ olselev, Goschen. Dilke, Morley, Lubbock (now Lord Avebury), ami a host of others. From midday up to about five p.m.. which is the busiest time of the day. the room is generally well filled; ami as there is accommodation for upwards of four hundred and fifty persons, the scene is a very anima tod one. many applications arc made for books during the afternoon that boys are specially ’ told off” t<» bring the volumes on barrows which m appearance resemble those used by porters for luggage at railway stations. hi order to obtain a book tne reader has to fill up a form giving the name, of the author ami title of the work, the press-mark (indicating the locality where the volume is to be found), and the dale ami place of publication. These parti culars arc obtained from the huge catalogues, and the reader is responsible for all the books that he borrows so long as the form be lias tilled up and handed in to the attendants remains uncaneel led. There is no limit as to the.number of books a reader may borrow: but in order to facilitate the work it is usual Io fill up a fresh form for every volume h<‘ wishes to obtain. Special rooms arc set tipart for those wishing to siu* rare books or priceless manuscripts. By the courtesy of Mr. G. K. Fortrsyur, who is the head of the important deparl incnt of printed books, I was recently granted tli(‘ privilege of inspecting the series of galleries 'behind the reading room, where the major portion oi the vant collection is kept. Ami w. at a perfect maze it is! The reading-room, as before stated, is in the 6'ontro of a large quadrangle, and in the four coiners ot the para Hologram unoccupied by tne circle of oie room a remarkable and ingenions series of galleries is built, affording act ommods tifiil for miilfohs of books.

To avoid risk of fire, these galleries Save skylights, no artificial illumination being allowed. They resemble huge cages, for the floors are of open ironwork, which admit the light through the several stories. Tlic only drawback to this arrangement a drawback which cannot be avoided—is that during fogs which are so prevalent in London during the winter months no books from these galleries can l>e obtained. Despite the extensive, accommodation which was provided, owing to the Copyright Act—under which a copy of every I>ook and paper published in the United Kingdom has to lie sent to the British Museum —the number of volumes a creased to such gigantic proportions that a special contrivance bad to be resorted to in order to provide room for them. This takes the form of sliding-presses, consisting of a framework fitted with shelves open back and front so as to receive volumes on each side. These shelves are suspended on girders, and, running smoothly on wheels, can be easily moved backwards and forwards. They supplement the standaid presses, and by this means the books in many places are six deep! All these presses are made of iron plates, the shelves being covered with leather.

Many of the choicest books which the library contains were bequeathed to the nation by private donors; others have from time to time been purchased by the trustees out of the grants made annually to the British Museum by Parliament. It is impossible to form an accurate estimate as to the value of some of the choicest books, for many in the library are the only known copies; but several have previously been sold at prices approaching five thousand pounds each. Probably the gem of the collection is the Mazarin Bible, which was printed in Latin at Mentz about the year 1455. This is the earliest complete printed book known. “The Dietes or Sayings of the Philosophers, - ’ which was translated from the French by Anthony Wyderville, Earl Rivers, and printed by William Caxton at Westminster in 1477, is the first volume known with certainty to have been printed in England. Other specimens of the earliest productions of the printing press in England include “The flame and Playe of the Chesse,” “’The Book of Tales of Cauntyrburye,” and the English version of Aesop’s Fables. Among the numerous old copies of the Scriptures and religious works are Martin Luther’s translation of the Bible, and Myles Coverdale’s Bible, dated 3530; the New Testament which belonged to Anne Boleyn; “The Assertion of the Seven Sacraments,” the book which procured for Henry VIIL, from Pope Leo X. the title of “Defender of the Faith,” ever since borne by the British sovereigns; the “Lives of the Archbishops of Canterbury,” which was presented to Queen Elizabeth by its author, Archbishop Parker; the “Codex Alexandrians,” an ancient Greek copy of the Scriptures supposed to have been executed by Thecla. a lady of Alexandria, in the fourth or firth century, and presented by Cyril Liicar, the Patriarch of Constantinople, to Charles I. The last-named is one of the two most ancient copies of the Scriptures in existence.

The manuscripts in the British Museum forme the finest collection in the world. Among the most interesting are “the Recognitions” of Clement of Rome in Syriac, dated about 411; the English version of M vclifl’e’s Bime, written towards the close of the fourteenth cenutrv; the orations of Hyperides, Homer, Aristotle, etc., and the “Bull of Pope Innocent 111., whereby he receives in fee the Kingdom of England, given to the Roman Chinch by virtue of a ehart er confirmed by the Golden Seal of King John, and takes it into Apostolic protection: Given at St. Peter's, 11 Kalends of May, A.D. 1214. and of the Pontificate of Pope Innocent the seventeenth year.” It would lie impossible, owing to exigencies of space, to mention even a small proportion of the historical deeds which are to be seen in the library; suflice itto say that they include an ancient copy of the famous Magna Charta—the original copy is no longer in existence—granted by King John, and the charter granted by AV illiani the Conqueror for the foundation of Battle Abbey in Sussex after the battle of Hastings in 1066.

Reference has already been made to flic Copyright Act of 1842, under which the .Museum is entitled to a gratuitous eopy of every printed book, newspaper, or document published in the United Kingdom; and it is this provision which lias contributed largely to the tremendous growth of the librarj—a greulh which has for n considerable time occupied the serious attention of the frns-

tecs, for it soon became apparent that unless further accommodation could be provided, especially for tile newspapers, all the available space would be filled. We have seen tire ingenious method of hanging-presses, by which a vast collection of additional books can be stored; and, as showing the stupendous growth in the number of volumes, it may be pointed out that in 1753 the library started with about f.»ty thousand books; in 1821 the number had only reached one hundred and sixteen thousand; in 1838 it was two hundred and thirty-live thousand; twenty- years later it had reached live hundred and fifty thousand; while in 1806 there were one million seven hundred and fifty thousand volumes, not counting a single sheet or parts of works accumulating. Since then the growth has been much more rapid, anil it is estimated that there are now about three million five hundred thousand volumes in the library. The work of arranging this collection is a stupendous undertaking; for each book has to ba classified, and the press-mark indicating its locality has to be affixed on the back. According to the latest parliamentary return the total number of these pressmarks during 118)5 amounted to seventyfour thousand eight hundred and seventylive; in addition to which thirty-seven thousand four nundred and four pressmarks have been altered in consequence of changes and re-arrangements, nearly thirty-one thousand labels have been fixed to books and volumes of newspapers, and one hundred and fifteen thousand four hundred and ninety-seven obliterated labels have been renewed. There is a corresponding amount of work to be done in cataloguing. A laige staff is engaged in the binding and repairing of books at the Museum. The number of volumes and sets of pamphlets sent to Ire bound in the course of last year was eleven thousand nine hundred and eighty-five, including tnree thousand three hundred and twenty-eight volumes of newspapers; while over twenty-live thousand books have Ireen repaired. The number of newspapers published in the United Kingdom received under the provisions of the Copyright Act during the year was three thousand two hundred and sixty-one, comprising two hundred and twenty-one thousand two hundred and sixty-nine single numbers; in addition to which large numbers of colonial and foreign newspapers, together with broadsides, parliamentary papers, etc., have either been presented or purchased.

With regard to the newspapers, it was calculated in 1882 that the space available at the Museum would lx> sufficient for thirty-three years; but since that time there has been such an enormous accumulation that the authorities have tried several means to cope with the pressure. Some time ago additional storage-room was provided in the basement and the new buildings; but this has practically been filled. The British newspapers in 1837 only occupied about forty presses, whereas now there are two and a-quarter miles of presses; besides which accommodation has had tobe provided for the colonial, American, and foreign newspapers. Some time ago land was obtained at Hendon, where a repository for storage of newspapers and other printed matter is now in course of construction: and it is believed that the extra accommodation which will thus be provided ■will be sufficient to meet the demands for a very considerable period.

The eost of the construction of tne reading-room and the surrounding galleries was one hundred and fifty thousand pounds; and the expenditure on purchases alone for the Museum up to 1875 was considerably over one million pounds, 'rhe Government has been very liberal in making large annual grants, sometimes amounting to upwards of one hundred thousand pounds, in order that the collections should be of the most representative character; and it was owing to the generosity of the late Sir William Harcourt, when ( hancellor of the Exchequer in 1896, that the additional freehold land, on which sixty-eight houses stood, was secured at a eost of two hundred’ thousand pounds to meet the growing needs of the Museum. These houses are gradually being demolished, and when the whole of them have disappeared the authorities will possess a square plot of thirteen acres completely isolated by the surrounding roadways. It is considered that this land will bo sufficient to meet the requirements of the trustees for another century, but no one can prophesy with accuracy as to thr) growth of the Museum even in the immediate future. In the past all such pro.

dictions have been completely falsified; but, in tire words of Maennlay, the Museum will remain “the repository of 'Ueh various and precious treasures of art, science, and learning as were scarce ever assembled under a single roof.” —“Ch' nibezs’ Magazir-e.”