PUBLIC LIBRARIES. (Hansard, 15 March 1849)

§ MR. EWART
presented two petitions from the inhabitants of Birmingham, complaining of the want of public libraries. The hon. Gentleman then proceeded to move the resolution of which he had given notice. He said, for several years they had introduced into this country various enlargements of our formerly exclusive system, in reference to the arts, after the 752 example of foreign countries. We had opened a National Gallery, Hampton Court, and other public edifices; we had established Schools of Design; but there was one instrument of public improvement common to foreign countries which did not exist in this—he meant the institution of public libraries freely accessible to the people. He was sorry to say, that if the House compared the existing public libraries in England with those in foreign countries, they would find them few indeed. In France, he found, from a late publication, conducted by a gentleman to whom the public was indebted for much valuable information on this subject—Mr. Edwards, of the British Museum—that there were in France no less than 107 public libraries, freely accessible to any one who entered them. Over the whole of Germany and Italy the case was the same; while in London there were only two or three libraries which could fairly be deemed, in any degree, accessible to the public. In Liverpool there was not one public library. In Hamburgh there were no less than six. In the large town of Manchester there was only one small one. In Rouen there were two large ones. But to be convinced on this point, let a man only cross the Straits of Dover. In the large town of Dover he would find no library open to the public. In the town of Boulogne he would find an excellent one daily accessible. So far for the old world. The comparison was still more striking when we turned towards the new. In the united States of America there were no less than eighty-one public libraries. It was true that the people of this country had access to the British Museum, and he had no intention to cast a doubt on the liberality of its conductors; but that access was not so easy as it was to the public libraries abroad: there was not unquestioned and unconditional admission, as abroad; and there was not the power of taking the books away, and reading them at home, as in foreign countries. He (Mr. Ewart) believed that the want of such institutions had been a serious damage to our literature. While for a hundred years the writers of the Continent had the consultation of public libraries at their command, those of England had wanted them. Gibbon, in his correspondence, complained that "the greatest metropolis in the world was destitute of that useful institution—a public library." It was stated in one of the works of the father of an hon. Gentleman 753 opposite (Mr. Disraeli) that, in his time, readers were kept waiting two days for a book at the British Museum. Again, let them take the case of Mr. Roscoe, at Liverpool, who was obliged to form his own library before he could compose such works as the Life of Lorenzo, or of Leo the Tenth. But it was not only the number of foreign libraries, but their perfect accessibility, which he (Mr. Ewart) desired us to imitate. He might be asked what public libraries he thought capable of reform. In the first place, there were at the British Museum about 52,000 duplicate copies of books—of some there were probably triplicates. Out of these it would be easy to form an entirely new library, or to establish a lending library. The Committee he sought for might also inquire into the possibility of improving such libraries as that of Archbishop Tenison, and that of Dr. Williams—the one formed by an eminent Churchman, the other by an eminent Dissenter, more than a century ago. He also included under the head of public libraries those which either levied the tax of a copy of his work upon every author; or those which received money from the Consolidated Fund. Among the former were the British Museum, the Bodleian Library at Oxford, the Public Library of Cambridge, the Library of Trinity College, Dublin, and the Advocates' Library at Edinburgh. Among those which received money from the public, were the Library of Zion College, near London; that of the King's Inn, at Dublin; and the libraries of the four Scottish universities—Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, and St. Andrew's. These institutions received annually about 3,000l. from the Treasury. The Committee might also inquire into such provincial libraries as the Cheetham Library at Manchester—the only one in England, he believed, as accessible to readers as the libraries abroad; and in Ireland the institution called Bishop Marsh's Library, would deserve consideration—that library, he believed, was unconditionally accessible to the public. He had already learnt, in the course of his inquiries, that there were libraries in provincial towns neglected and decayed, which might be restored and enlarged for the benefit of the public. In all our cathedral towns there were libraries connected with the Chapters. These, indeed, were strictly private collections. The liberal use of them was not, however, altogether denied by those learned bodies who owned them. 754 Some evidence might be given with respect to them also. Next, there were parochial libraries in some parts of the country, which had been established as far back as the time of the Reformation, but which had been suffered to fall into disorder and ruin. Some of these parochial libraries had been restored with the most beneficial effects upon all the neighbourhood; the rest of them might be revived and improved to meet the wants of the times. The important subject of the formation of village lending libraries would also be considered. What then did he propose to do? First, he believed that great good would result from simple inquiry upon the subject: the very origination of it would awaken public attention and exertion. In the next place, he would examine into existing libraries, extending, amending, and reviving them wherever it was possible. Again, he had no doubt that the municipalities of the country, when they found public attention duly directed to so important a subject, would themselves encourage the formation of public libraries in our large corporate towns. Another result would be, that as soon as, at any particular place, a library was formed, a number of individuals would readily come forward with donations. Half the British Museum consisted of donations—indeed it was founded on donations. Sir Hans Sloane's bequest created it. The magnificent donations of Geo. III.'s library, and that of the late Mr. Grenville, with many more, had improved and enlarged it. Nor could he conceive any more honourable object of ambition than that of an individual who wished to see his name inscribed in some department of a public library, and handed down to future ages as a benefactor of his kind. But he repeated that the great good done would arise from the agitation of the question. Public attention would be called to and fixed upon it. They might not bring many treasures into daylight; but, like the countryman's children in the fable, they would be amply recompensed by the result of turning up the ground. For his own part, he should be gratified if, in a sordid age, when nothing but dividends and percentages absorbed men's minds, an opportunity could be given of inviting them to the more ennobling pursuits of literature. Still more should he be gratified if the inquiry tended, however slightly or remotely, to elevate the literary, moral and religious character of the people. The hon. Gentleman 755 concluded by proposing the following Motion— That a Select Committee be appointed on existing Public Libraries in Great Britain and Ireland, and on the best means of extending the establishment of Libraries freely open to the Public, especially in large Towns.

§ MR. HUME
seconded the Motion.

§ SIR G. GREY
said, there was a Committee already sitting upon the subject of the British Museum, whose inquiries would include the library of that institution, and the Committee proposed by the hon. Gentleman would only interfere with the peaceful progress of the labours of the Museum Committee. He was scarcely aware of the object of the inquiry sought by the hon. Gentleman, although he entirely concurred with him that every available and legitimate means should be used for the purpose of extending the establishment of public libraries in all the large towns throughout the country. Nothing could be worse, however, than the extremely vague and indefinite manner in which the hon. Gentleman had spoken of these institutions; and he (Sir G. Grey) did not collect from his remarks any definition of what should be considered a public library, and what should not. The hon. Gentleman had referred to the Advocates' Library, Edinburgh; the Bodleian Library, Oxford; and to the deanery and parochial libraries; but he (Sir G. Grey) did not think that either of those which he had enumerated came within the definition of public libraries. He (Sir G. Grey) was prepared to agree to the appointment of a Committee, but not in the terms used in the hon. Gentleman's Motion. If the hon. Gentleman would omit the words "existing public libraries in Great Britain and Ireland" from his Motion, he (Sir G. Grey) would be quite ready to assent to it.

§ MR. EWART
accepted the suggestion of the right hon. Baronet.