For the errors of an honest heart, Dr Payson was entitled to indulgence. For the good which he thought and essayed, despite of imperfections, he will live in honorable remembrance. And in recompense for the trials which he underwent, and the virtues which they brightened, we trust he has entered on the heritage of the blessed. With a faith inspired by the revelations of love, we follow his emancipated spirit into the world of light, and contemplate it joined to the host which none can number, composed of the wise and good of every sect, and age, and clime, where, no more with the films and through the mists of mortality, he discerns the lineaments of celestial Truth, but beholds, in their unclouded beauty, the radiant emanations of the infinite and All-perfect mind. ART. IV. Catalogue of the Library of Harvard University, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Cambridge. E. W. Metcalf. 1830. 3 vols. 8vo. 2. Bibliotheca Parriana. A Catalogue of the Library of the late Reverend and Learned Samuel Parr, LL. D. Curate of Hatton, &c. &c. London, John Bohn. 8vo. pp. 725. 3. The Library Companion; or, the Young Man's_Guide, and the Old Man's Comfort in the Choice of a Library. By the Rev. T. F. DIBDIN, F. R. S., &c. 2 vols. 8vo. London, 1824. THE catalogue of a library, even with all the recommendations of such fair volumes as these, and the strong interest we may feel in the accumulating treasures of our college, or the curiosity, which some may have, to know what sort of books were collected by such a man as Parr-might seem but an unpromising topic for a review. And lest any of our readers should be alarmed at the first mention of such a project, we freely announce, that it is no part of our intention to take a survey of the pages before us; for this, we are aware, would be giving for a review a catalogue itself. We shall scarcely refer to the countless worthies, living and dead, whose names, VOL. VIII.-N. S. VOL. III. NO. III. 42 amidst endless degrees of fame and honor, are here set in order. Among them are divines, philosophers, historians, orators, and poets of Grecian and Roman and of modern name, whose deathless works are, and ever will be, read. And here, also, are fathers, commentators, lexicographers, grammarians, critics; nay, some too, who in their day might have passed among poets and even novelists, whose names have quietly gone down to oblivion, and the precious dust of whose volumes might never be disturbed, but for the diligence of a librarian like Mr Peirce, or the faithful search, from which nothing is hidden, of an Examining Committee.' Of this class of books, which seem to take in a library the place which 'sleepers' hold among animals, except that they have within them no inherent principle of reanimation, every large collection must contain its proportion. Nor let them be counted worthless. They are, if ancient, the venerable, if modern, the decent monuments of their time. They record, if not the learning, at least the notions of their day. Many of them may have honorably fulfilled their destiny, by serving as hints and helps, pioneers and precursors of better books; and in some even of our public libraries, they are of signal use, by making a goodly show upon shelves that would otherwise stand empty. Of such a show, however, the Library of Harvard College happily stands in no need. The catalogue before us exhibits a list of more than thirty thousand bound volumes, and of several thousand tracts. And we hasten to congratulate the friends of the University on the publication, just now completed, of this copious, well-arranged, and beautiful work, so long desired and so much needed. It is now forty years since the last catalogue was formed; and from that period, in 1790, when there were only twelve thousand volumes, additions have been continually making, which rendered indispensable a new and full arrangement. To the indefatigable industry, to the fidelity and learning of the present librarian, Mr Peirce, are we indebted for the very satisfactory execution of this arduous undertaking. He has comprised it in three volumes, which, both for the treasures they exhibit, and the excellence of their arrangement, * *To the faithful and accurate inspection of the press,-a work of more delicacy and toil than by the uninitiated can easily be imagined—and to the intelligent cares of the former librarian, Mr Folsom, it is just to ascribe part of the value and correctness of these volumes. to say nothing of the typographical beauty of the books themselves, do honor to him and to the University. To those, also, who, as members of the College, or connected in any manner with its interests, who by their duties or privileges, the offices they may hold, or the advantage of neighbourhood, can avail themselves of the benefits of its library, it will be an invaluable publication. The two first volumes contain the catalogue of the whole library in alphabetical order, consisting, as we have said, of more than thirty thousand volumes. And notwithstanding its deficiencies and wants, it is pleasant to compare this fair and choice collection with what it must have been in its day of small things and of Cotton Mather, who, in a letter to a friend of the College in England, congratulates him, that they had at length got a library with some books to it.' 6 In the third volume, Mr Peirce has furnished us with a systematic index, or a classed catalogue of the whole. This laborious part of the work, he prefaces with this appropriate motto. 'Scire ubi aliquid possis invenire, magna pars eruditionis est. The value of such an index must at once be apparent; and the faithful execution of it, as here accomplished, demanded nothing less than the indefatigable industry as well as extensive bibliographical skill of the librarian. With respect to the arrangement which has been adopted, there will probably be, as the editor himself remarks, a diversity of opinion; since every system of classification must be more or less arbitrary; and with all possible accuracy in the execution, works, in some respects of the same nature, will frequently be found under different heads.' Notwithstanding this obvious difficulty, the work appears, as far as we have had opportunity to examine it, to have been managed with such exactness, that under the six great classes, within which the whole collection is arranged, and the numerous sections into which these, again, are broken, almost every inquirer may find the book of which he is in search. Of the actual toil and labor of such a work, any reader, least conversant with such subjects, may form some notion from the fact, that under one division of the theological department, viz. that of parænetic, or exhortatory divinity, there are more than twentyone hundred distinct books or pamphlets, under the names of sermons, charges, &c. &c. In the general preface to the whole work, the history of the present college library, from the period of the destruction of the original collection by fire, in 1764, is briefly given. And, as the library itself is almost wholly the fruit of individual munificence, an honorable notice is taken of its most prominent benefactors, of whom were the Hollises, and Hancocks, Shapleigh, Palmer, Boylston, and Gore, with other generous donors, yet living.* This preface, therefore, may be read with satisfaction by many, who have no occasion to consult the catalogue itself. That part of it, which relates to the present condition and immediate wants of the library, we commend to the attention of our readers. Many of the books, however, which have been added to the Library for several years past, have been excluded from their appropriate places by the want of room. This want is now very sensibly experienced; and in a short time another apartment will be indispensably requisite. It is most ardently hoped, that means will at no distant period be furnished by the public-spirited friends of the University and of literature, to erect a new building for the exclusive use of this department, in some respects more eligibly situated than the present, and ample enough to accommodate a library, that shall rival the great repositories of learning in Europe, and correspond more nearly to what may be reasonably expected of the first Library in our country.' Preface to Catalogue, P. xiii. In adverting, also, to the deficiencies in the library itself, and at the same time to the extent and liberality with which its privileges are granted, in other words, to the large number of those who enjoy them, Mr Peirce thus remarks ; 'In looking over the Catalogue, authors and others will discover many deficiencies, which they may often have it in their power to supply; and by doing this they will render a service, which will be gratefully acknowledged. All publications relating to this country are naturally expected to find a place in our library. It has already a greater number of works upon America, than are to be found in any other; still the collection is far from being complete; many works are wanting, especially of a recent date, all of which it is exceedingly desirable to obtain. A public library like this, is a particularly suitable repository for state papers, political, religious, and other tracts, reports and proceedings of *Of the living benefactors, the names of the Hon. Israel Thorndike, and of Samuel A. Eliot, Esq., claim, as they have here received, a special mention. ecclesiastical bodies and of societies instituted for various purposes, for local publications, occasional pamphlets, and public documents of every description; it being a place, where they will not only have the best chance of being preserved, but will be accessible to all persons, who may at any time wish to consult them. 'The benefits conferred by the library are rendered as extensive as possible by the liberality of its regulations. A ready admittance, and the requisite information and facilities for examining and consulting the works, are afforded to all visiters. Books are loaned to all the Undergraduates, to the Members of the Theological and Law Schools, to all persons residing in Cambridge for purposes of study, to the Members of the Faculty, Corporation, and Board of Overseers, and to all regularly ordained Clergymen living within ten miles of the College; and persons, not coming within the provisions of the law, may, by application to the Corporation, obtain the use of any books, which are proper to be taken from the Library. The privileges, granted to individuals, are not exceeded by those enjoyed at any other institution of a similar kind, and are believed to be in all respects as great as a due regard to general accommodation and to the preservation of the books would permit. These facts will, of course, be all taken into consideration in estimating the importance of augmenting the Library. A fund, from which so many minds are constantly drawing their chief supplies, to pour them again, with incalculable effect, over the whole community, should be as rich, as munificence and zeal for the promotion of learning can render it.' Preface to Catalogue, p. xv. From this brief notice of the catalogue of the most extensive of our own libraries, which its value and importance seemed to demand, we will now turn to one of the best private Libraries in England; viz. that of the celebrated Dr Parr. His collection was indeed a very remarkable one, whether we consider the character of the owner, one of the most learned scholars and singular personages of his time, or the narrowness of the means with which so extensive a library was purchased. The catalogue itself is a royal octavo of more than seven hundred pages, adorned with one of the best engravings we have seen, of the Doctor; and it numbers, as we think has been stated in other publications, about ten thousand volumes. Many of them were undoubtedly the gifts of his numerous correspondents and friends, of whom no man could boast of more. But the greater proportion were unquestionably of his own procuring; and some of |