In a work of general reference, like the present, one of two methods must necessarily be adopted; it must either be subdivided into classes, or be alphabetically arranged throughout. I am not about to raise the vexed question of the impossibility of forming a strictly philosophical classification of the productions of the mind; nor am I going to defend the arbitrary classes which I have adopted, in compliance with the wishes of many competent judges, who valued the practical utility of the work more than its extreme bibliographical accuracy. These claim the reader's indulgence, as all other imperfect productions of mankind must ever do; and the more so, as a full and general alphabetical index has been added, by which a facile reference can readily be made to any work sought, if it is not found in the class first referred to. In the course of the work some little inaccuracies as to Christian names have occasionally crept in, from indistinctness of the hand-writing of the copyists, or from errors in the printed catalogues from which the titles were copied. As far as possible these have been rectified in the general index, which, in all cases of doubt, should be the authority followed.

In the section devoted to Biography I have followed the American custom of placing the work under the name of the subject of each biography. In the index it will be found both under that head and under the author's name, if known. Like its predecessor of 1854, the present volume also presents the reader with two separate divisions, headed Spiritualism and Mormonism. I make no apology for having excluded these publications from the classes of Philosophy and Theology. In common with many literary friends, I felt reluctant that the records of these mental aberrations should be placed side by side with the productions of higher intellectual powers.

The Introduction will need but a few words of explanation, and its value must depend upon the accuracy with which it is executed. It is an attempt to do for North American literature what has long since been done for that of Europe; to furnish the materials for a more comprehensive history of the development of the intellectual powers of a great and powerful people. In the first section, Bibliographical Prolegomena, I have derived much assistance from the labours of my late friend Dr. Ludewig. The second section, Contributions towards a History of American Literature, has been furnished by Benjamin Moran, Esq., Assistant Secretary to the American Legation, and though brief, it is full of valuable information, the fruits of much and original research. The third section, Public Libraries of the United States, is by Edward Edwards, Esq., one of the most successful and indefatigable labourers in the field of literary history. To both these gentlemen my thanks are pre-eminently due, and I cannot take leave of my subject without also discharging a debt of gratitude to those kind

friends who have cheered and encouraged me, and assisted me in my labours during its gradual progress towards completion. To Professor Turner, of Washington, Henry Carey Baird, Esq., and Charles B. Trego, Esq., of Philadelphia, S. Hastings Grant, Esq., of the Mercantile Library, New York, and Joel Munsell, Esq., of Albany, my thanks are more particularly due for very much that is valuable in the ensuing pages.

London, 1st January, 1859.

NICOLAS TRÜBNER.

POSTSCRIPT. THE following books, received since the printing of the Bibliographical Prolegomena, demand a brief notice in this place.

1. A Catalogue of Books on Freemasonry and kindred subjects. By William Gowans; 12mo, pp. 60. New York. William Gowans, 1858.

This neatly got up volume is dedicated to the memory of the late Hermann Ludewig, Esq., and is an enlarged edition, the fourth, of that mentioned at page XXXIII. of the Prolegomena. Mr. Gowans states in the Preface, that he commenced its compilation in 1840, but he must pardon the remark that a bookseller of his intelligence, after 18 years of "unwearied application and research," to use his own words, might have produced a better book, had he availed himself of the many opportunities which must have presented themselves to him during that period. It is a list of books which may simply have passed through Mr. Gowans' hands, or which possibly he may still possess. Such a work has no claims to be considered a bibliographical authority upon the subject. The most ordinary means for making it such would seem to have been disregarded. The titles are imperfectly given, in the case of foreign works, so erroneously, as to make it worse than useless, and even English original editions, and American reprints of them, are not distinguished. To enable the reader to judge of the extent of Mr. Gowans' " researches," it may be stated that his list, professing to be a general one of Masonic books of various nations, does not exceed 550 articles, whilst the Catalogue of American books on Freemasonry alone, compiled by Mr. B. Barthelmes, and printed at New York, in 1856, enumerates about 450 original articles. Mr. Gowans mentions this book at page 10 of his Catalogue, but surely he can never have consulted it in the compilation of his own.

2. THE LIBRARIAN'S MANUAL, a Treatise on Bibliography, comprising a select and descriptive list of Bibliographical Works; to which are added Sketches of Public Libraries. Illustrated with engravings. By Reuben A. Guild, A. M. 4to, pp. 304 (16 wood

cuts), limited to 500 copies, with 10 copies on large paper. New York, 1858.

This work is already mentioned at page XXIV. of the Prolegomena, from the Prospectus issued previous to its publication, but the article from the London Quarterly Review on Libraries and Catalogues is omitted. It consists of two parts, the first comprising a descriptive list of 495 Bibliographical books; and the second containing Historical sketches of fourteen Public Libraries in America and Europe. The work fully redeems its promise.

3. A Descriptive Catalogue of those Maps, Charts, and Surveys relating to America, which are mentioned in vol. III. of Hakluyt's great work, by J. G. Kohl. 8vo, pp. 86. Washington, 1857. Mr. Kohl, the celebrated traveller, is now at Washington, employed in carrying his "General Catalogue of American Maps and Charts " through the press. The descriptive catalogue of the Hakluyt Maps is but a forerunner to this great work.

As kindred with Mr. Kohl's great work, it may not be out of place to notice

4. MAPOTECA COLOMBIANA. Catálogo de todos los Mapas, Planos, Vistas, etc., relativos a la America-Española, Brasil, e islas adyacentes. Por el Dr. Ezequiel Uricoechea,

which I have now in press, in one volume octavo.

In conclusion, I would call attention to an important work now in the press, by Mr. Paul Troemel, under the title of

5. Bibliothèque Americaine, ou Catalogue raisonné d'une precieuse Collection de livres relatifs à l'Amerique, qui ont paru depuis sa découverte jusqu'à l'an 1700.

This is a bibliographical account of an important collection of books relating to America, originally made by Fr. Müller, of Amsterdam, and now in the possession of F. A. Brockhaus, of Leipzig. Amongst the 556 articles of which the collection consists, at least one hundred are not mentioned by any bibliographer. Indeed, only about 150 of them are found in Ternaux and Rich, which of itself is ample testimony of the importance, and must secure to the publication more than an ordinary interest in the eyes of bibliographers and literary men. At the same time that it supplements the catalogues of Ternaux, Rich, and Asher, an examination of the few sheets already printed off enables me to state that it promises to surpass its predecessors by its extreme accuracy of description and the value of its notes, which exhibit considerable knowledge of the subject.

6. Mr. Buckingham Smith informs me that Señor Gonzales de la Vega of Madrid has a work, in 2 vols., in the press, on Spanish authors who have written on the subject of New Spain.

INTRODUCTION.