BOOK III. Chapter XIX. The Law Libraries at ter of the Signet Library. 1 statement that "the whole has an absolutely palatial air. The collection, too, is worthy of its abode, as is Edinburgh. also the liberality with which its treasures are made accessible. The number of volumes is about 45,000. General charac- The class "Jurisprudence" has, of course, always been well furnished, and a special Catalogue of it, prepared by Mr. Ivory, was completed and printed in 1856. But the Signet Library, although it has never acquired books by the Copyright - Tax, is far from being merely, or even predominantly, a professional collection. It is rich in History, and in the Sciences and Arts. Many of the sections of Polite Literature are well supplied, and especially those which comprise the finest and most The Catalogues costly books. There are good printed Catalogues, both classed and alphabetical; but the former, now half a century old, has been long outgrown. The alphabetical Catalogue includes a good classed index. A classed Catalogue of the works in British History was commenced by the present accomplished Librarian and literary antiquary, Mr. David Laing, in 1857, and has made considerable progress. There is also a complete alphabetical Catalogue of the Library in fifteen large volumes, a specimen of which, in contemplation of its being published, was printed in 1853.2 of the Signet Library. In a recent Report, the following remark occurs as to the plan pursued in the augmentation of the Signet Library: "In the additions which they have made, the Librarian and Curators have always acted upon the 1 Dibdin, Northern Tour, ii, 608. 2 Specimen of the Alphabetical Catalogue now in preparation of the Library of the Society of Writers to Her Majesty's Signet (8vo., Edinburgh, 1853). rule of preferring standard works to ephemeral literature. They have endeavoured to supply some of the defects in different departments of Literature and Science, but much still remains to be done; and they have the satisfaction of reporting that, from the additions which they have made to the Law-Books, the Society now possesses one of the largest and most valuable Law-Libraries in Britain." The general arrangement of the Library continues, I believe, to be that which was introduced by the late Mr. Macvey Napier, in 1834. Annual Report by the Curators (Nov. 1855). BOOK III. Chapter XIX. CHAPTER XX. THE UNIVERSITY AND TOWN LIBRARIES OF SCOTLAND. "A people high-spirited, ardent, and full of vigour, with [almost] every outlet for their energy stopped by a proud and powerful neighbour. ... At home, the fruits of their industry are swept away by hostile armies. Their churches and castles are destroyed. The inducements to develope high culture in any department are blighted by the prospect of labouring only to enrich watchful enemies. What can a people so beset do, but seek distinction, and the honours and enjoyments of life abroad? It was from no desultory spirit of vagrancy. from no neglect of the primary demands of their own country, that they led Foreign armies, gave their counsels in Foreign courts, and taught in Foreign universities. ... The Scot Abroad (Blackwood's Magazine, lxxix, 439). BOOK III. Chapter XX. Town Libraries of Scotland. THE most ancient of the Scottish Universities is that University and of Saint Andrews, which dates from 1411. Henry Wardlaw, Bishop of St. Andrews, founded the institution in that year, and two years later obtained from Pope Benedict XIII. Bulls of Confirmation and of Privilege. The College of St. Salvator was founded in 1455; that of St. Leonard in 1512; that of St. Mary in 1537. The early records contain traces of Libraries belonging severally to these Colleges, and there is a BOOK III. Chapter XX. Town Libraries of Scotland. remarkable passage in a "Prognostication" of Jasper de Laet, which commemorates the liberality of William University and Schevez, Archbishop of St. Andrews from 1478 to 1497, who gave to one of these many precious books and manuscripts. But the first indication of a Univer- Library of the sity Library is of the time of James VI., and there is still extant a contemporary Catalogue which registers its beginnings. Into this collection the collegiate Libraries ultimately merged. In common with the other University Libraries of Scotland this of St. Andrews enjoyed the right of exacting copies, under the Act of the eighth of Queen Anne, until 1835. Under the fifth and sixth of William IV. c. 110, a yearly grant of £630 was accorded to it in lieu of the books. About 1100 volumes on the average are annually added to the Library by means of this fund. The ordinary expenses of maintenance are chiefly defrayed by Tees on graduations and by annual contributions from the Students. University of The total number of volumes of printed books in 1849 was officially returned as 51,265. That of MSS. was 53. The present number of volumes is nearly 62,000. At the date of the inquiries of the Scottish University Commissioners (1827-28), there appears to have been both undue laxity in the mode of lending books from this Library, and undue restriction in the facilities afforded for reading within its walls. The Regulations as to Commissioners made various suggestions for the better regulation of the first-named practice, and expressed their "decided opinion that ample encouragement should be afforded in all the Universities to Students to read Vol. II. 2 the use of the Library. BOOK III. Chapter XX. Town Libraries of Scotland. in the Libraries belonging to the Institutions." The University and Parliamentary returns of 1849 state that "the Library is accessible to students... for the purpose of reading and consulting books;" and also that, in February 1847, the Senatus Academicus unanimously resolved: "That the practice of permitting each Professor to grant the privilege of obtaining books from the University Library to five individuals not connected with the University be abolished, as it is destructive of the books, consumes much of the time of the Librarian, converts the University Library into a Circulating Library for the people of the town, is a privilege which the Sénatus are not justified in granting, and which has been condemned in the late Report of the Royal Commission." Persons, however, who are really engaged in literary or scientific investigations, with a view to publication, may still borrow books on application to the Senate; whilst, as respects the use of the Library within the walls, "free access is granted to any respectable person." The number of persons habitually using the Library during the ten years ending with 1848 appears to have ranged from 189 (in 1839) to 283 (in 1848). The general character of the collection is, as may have been inferred from the sources whence it has chiefly accrued, that of a Library of modern English literature, augmented by an admixture of foreign works of an educational cast.1 1 Lyon, History of Saint Andrews, ii, 189; Roger, History of Saint Andrews (Edinb. 1849), 133-136; Report of the Commissioners on the Universities and Colleges of Scotland (1832), 413-435; Abstract Return relating to the Public Libraries in Scotland (1849), 3; MS. Correspondence (Rev. J. M. Bean, M.A.). |