Principal librarian and secre tary. Confused responsibi lity as to MSS. and books taken to reading rooms. Collection of books claimed under Copyright that of keeper of the MSS. and that it be declared incompatible with any other situation in the Museum." The duties of principal librarian and of secretary have been also rearranged, and the salary of the former fixed at £800, of the latter at £700 a year. In this arrangement of duties, there are two points which appear of very questionable propriety, as tending inevitably to a confusion of responsibility. The one is, that the superintendence of the readingrooms is in the hands of the principal librarian, with a charge as to "the security and preservation of the collections" (that is, of MSS. and printed books) while the nominal responsibility for all the MSS. and all the printed books is in the chief keepers of those departments respectively. As it has not been shown that separate reading rooms for MSS. and printed books would lead to any serious inconvenience, I would venture to suggest, that to make such a division, and give the chief superintendence of each to the head of the department with which it is connected, would be a far preferable course. For to make a large number of books and MSS. change their responsible guardian in the course of each day is virtually to deprive them of any; and such it is found to be in practice. The serious losses to which the Museum has been, and continues to be exposed, render this a point of great importance. And the necessarily intimate connexion between the arrangements of the libraries and those of the reading-rooms, appears to afford further evidence in favour of the suggestion I have submitted. The other point relates to the collection of books claimed under the Copyright Act, the superintendence of which is entrusted to the secretary, by the 13th section As reference is alof the new regulation of his duties. * It must, however, be admitted that, under the vigilance of the present principal librarian, these losses are much less than might be expected. ways made from the reading-room to the keeper of printed books, respecting books enquired for, but not found in the catalogues, and as the task of actually obtaining the copyright books must occupy a large portion of the time of one person, specially entrusted with it; it would seem preferable to make that person responsible to the head of the department which is exclusively concerned. But I submit this suggestion with great deference; well aware that the collection of these books is at present a matter of difficulty owing to the imperfect provisions of the act. law re The "Library-tax," as it was justly termed, is still a Defect of grievance, although reduced from eleven copies to five. specting But the copies to the four Universities, not that to the this claim. British Museum, are the ground of complaint. And, in any case, so long as the claim continue legal, there should be sufficient powers to make it effectual.* With reference to the annual reports of accessions, desiderata, and state of collections, &c., directed to be made by each head of department, I would beg strongly to recommend that a general report, founded upon these, be laid before parliament, and by that means furnished to the public, which could scarcely fail to do good in many ways. The brief notes now appended to the annual estimate are far too meagre to be of any value out of parliament. ries. The trustees have also resolved to "institute a general Inventoand uniform method of registering, numbering, and marking the several objects belonging to the trust as soon as they are received into the Museum, and to direct a periodical verification of the inventories, under the superintendence of the principal officers." It may be mentioned that no such powers are provided for by Mr. Serjeant Talfourd's proposed bill, which however reenacts the delivery of the five copies. I proceed with the resolutions of the select committee: Of the pub lic access. III. OF ACCESS TO THE MUSEUM. "9. That it is desirable that the hours during which the Museum shall be open on public days be hereafter from ten o'clock until seven, throughout the months of May, June, July, and August; and that the reading-room be opened throughout the year at nine o'clock in the morning. "10. That it is desirable the Museum be hereafter open during the Easter, Whitsun, and Christmas weeks, except Sunday and Christmas-day." These recommendations have been carried into effect, and in addition, the whole of the Museum* is opened on the public days (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday,) at nine o'clock in the morning, throughout the year. Two of the reserved days are, with much propriety, devoted chiefly to the greater accommodation of artists, students, and other persons desiring minute examination of the collections. The remaining day is devoted to the purposes of cleansing. The most gratifying results have attended the opening of the Museum on the public holidays; immense crowds have visited it, and their behaviour has been exemplary. Library and reading room. THE LIBRARY. The extension of the reading-room hours has been also productive of great advantage; but many, whose opinion on this point deserves great respect, continue to think that nothing short of a special evening readingroom will bring the advantages of this, at present, our only national library within the reach of a large number, to whom it is most important they should be extended. On this point it is highly worthy of notice that a petition was presented to the House of Commons in 1836, by Mr. Hawes, (with whom the enquiry into the Museum originated,) from the masters of the proprietary schools in and around London, expressing their anxiety to have access to the Museum library, and stating the impossibility of their obtaining it, unless provided for them in the evening.* Library of education. It has since been suggested+ that it would be far better if a special public library of education, or more than one, were established, instead of adding so largely to the la- pendix. bours at the Museum, already very serious. In this suggestion, were it immediately practicable, I fully concur, but I fear there will be some delay; and the old proverb reverts to recollection.‡ IV. OF CATALOGUES AND SYNOPSIS. The twelfth resolution of the select committee is as follows: "That it is desirable that the heads of departments do consult Synopsis. together as to the best method of preparing, on a combined system, an improved edition of the Synopsis; that each officer be responsible for that part which is under his immediate control, and attach his signature thereto; and that the work be prepared in such a manner • This petition was framed by Edwin Abbott, Esq. of the Philological School, in conjunction with the Reverend Principal of King's College School. In the evidence of Mr. Panizzi. I cannot allow this portion of the subject to pass, without adding my humble testimony to the great advantages bestowed upon the frequenters of the Museum library, by several improvements which have been introduced since the department of printed books has been under the control of Mr. Panizzi. The supply is much quicker, the catalogues are in better order, and an admirable arrangement has been adopted respecting the return of books which at once secures the due responsibility of the readers (heretofore fallacious) and greatly promotes their accommodation. To Mr. Panizzi their best thanks are most justly due. Catalogues Progress made. Prices of catalogues. as to enable each part to be sold separately, which should be done at the lowest price which will cover the expenses of the publication. "13. That it is expedient that every exertion should be made to complete, within the shortest time consistent with the due execution of the work, full and accurate catalogues of all the collections in the Museum, with a view to print and publish such portions of them as would hold out expectations of even a partial sale.” For the improvement of the SYNOPSIS, a committee of officers was formed in 1836, in conformity with whose report, and that of Sir Henry Ellis, a much improved edition has since been printed, and sold at one shilling. But it has not yet been divided into parts. On the important subject of CATALOGUES (including that sine qua non, a good classed index to the printed books,) it may be mentioned that considerable progress has been made; notwithstanding that the establishment is in this respect very far indeed from being adequate to the work before it, especially in the department of printed books. Catalogues of the Burney MSS. and of the Syriac and Carshunic MSS. have been completely printed, and a catalogue of the Greek papyri partially printed. In the printed book department a new transcript of the interleaved catalogue of the old library has been completed in forty-eight volumes folio, and placed in the reading-room. But, from the large number of articles still entirely uncatalogued, an increase of the establishment appears to be indispensable. It is earnestly to be hoped that the preparation of mere inventories will not have preference over that of catalogues for the public, in all respects so much more important. And it may also be suggested that for the same reasons which induced the select committee to recommend the reduction of the price of the Synopsis, the catalogues (of whatever kind) should be published at lower prices than heretofore. That portion of the descriptive catalogue of the |