REPORT OF THE LIBRARIAN.

THIS is the forty-first meeting of the American Antiquarian Society in the rooms of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The first letter of invitation was addressed to Edward Everett, President of the former, May 25, 1847, by the lamented Asa Gray, Secretary of the latter; and the Society met for the first time in the rooms of the Academy, No. 7 Tremont Street, on May-Day, 1848. During more than half this period it has been my privilege to act as the bearer of despatches between the two associations, and therefore an expression of our hearty thanks to the Academy may not seem to be out of place as an introduction to this report.

Nothing of very special moment has occurred in our library life since the October meeting. The extent and importance of our work, however, has made it a season of great activity and interest.

If time allowed, it would be interesting to cite numerous instances of Dr. Haven's careful and valuable entries and insertions found in our volumes, made in order to preserve the history of the very books themselves. Let me submit but two examples. In the year 1848 our associate, Mr. William F. Poole, issued what is now one of the rarest of first editions. Its full title is "An Alphabetical Index to Subjects treated in the Reviews and other Periodicals to which no Indexes have been published: Prepared for the Library of the Brothers in Unity, Yale College. Qui scit ubi sit scientia, habenti est proximus. New York: published by George P. Putnam (late of Wiley and Putnam), 155 Broadway and 142 Strand, London. 1848." 8vo.

"Humphrey Chetham in 1651 made provision for the Library and College at Manchester called by his name, and also for the establishment of five other libraries of Godly English Books in these words: Also I do hereby give and bequeath the sum of two hundred pounds to be bestowed by my Executors in Godly English books such as Calvins, Prestons and Perkins works, comments and annotations of the Bible or some parts thereof, or such other books as the said Richard Johnson, John Tilveslay and Mr. Hollingsworth may think most proper for the edification of the common people, to be by the discretion of my said executors chained upon desks or to be fixed to the pillars, or in other convenient places in the parish churches of Manchester and Boulton in the Moors, and in the chapels of Tuston Walmesley and Gorten in said county of Lancaster one year next after my decease.""

The effect of the general suppression of monasteries in England in 1537, and the consequent destruction of the libraries they contained, is well and concisely stated in the following extract:

"In the destruction of religious houses in the reign of Henry VIII. great stores of the highest value perished. He who neither spared man in his rage nor woman in his lust spared not the libraries of the church. For though it appears that Henry directed a commission to Leland, the antiquary, to search for and preserve such works belonging to the dissolved monasteries as might rescue remarkable English events and occurrences from oblivion, and though Leland acquainted Henry that he had conserved many good authors, the which otherwise had been lyke to have peryshed, to the no small incommodite of good letters; of which he tells him, part remayne in the most magnificent libraryes of your royal palaces; part also remayne in my custodie; yet he expressly recites that one of his purposes was to expel the crafty colored doctrine of a rowt of Romayne Bysshopps' which too plainly indicates that he conserved but little concerning ancient customs. Libraries were sold by mercenary men for anything they could get in that devastation of religious houses. But the antiquary makes mention of a merchant who bought two noble libraries about those times for forty shillings. The

books served him for no other use but waste paper, and that he had been ten years consuming them, and yet there remained still store enough for as many years more. Vast quantities and numbers of these books, banished with the monks and friars from their monasteries, were conveyed away and carried beyond the seas to booksellers there by whole ship loads, and a great many more were used in shops and kitchens."1

Having now briefly stated some of the facts concerning early books and Libraries, we shall be satisfied if we shall induce some abler writer to treat this interesting theme.

1 Encyclopædia of Literary and Typographical Anecdote. By C. H. Timperley. London: Henry G. Bohn, 1842. 8vo., p. 274.

REPORT OF THE TREASURER.

IN compliance with the By-Laws the Treasurer of the American Antiquarian Society herewith submits his semiannual report of receipts and disbursements for the six months ending April 1, 1888.

In his report for April, 1881, the Treasurer took occasion to give a list of the various funds in his charge and to state the objects for which they were established. Since then three new funds have been created, and he deems it desirable to again lay before the Council and the Society a statement of the several Funds :

1. The Librarian's and General Fund, established in May, 1831, was originally called "The Twelve Thousand Dollar Fund," that being the amount of a legacy from Isaiah Thomas, the first President of the Society. The income of the Fund was to be used in the purchase of books, for paying the salary of the librarian and for incidental expenses. In 1858 about $10,000 was carried to this Fund from what had been known as the General Fund, and for a time the Research Fund. Since that date the present name has been applied to the Fund. The last addition was in December, 1884, when $10,000 was received from the estate of our late President, Hon. Stephen Salisbury. The Fund with its accumulations now amounts to nearly $40,000.

2.

The Collection and Research Fund, originally $5,000, was also received from the estate of Mr. Thomas, and was first called "The Fund of Antiquities and Research," also the Five Thousand Dollar Fund." It has been known by

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its present designation since April, 1858, at which time it amounted to about $8,000. The income is to be used for the purpose of exploring the ancient monuments of this continent, and to aid in increasing the library and cabinet. By the accumulation of income the Fund now amounts to over $18,000.

3.

The Bookbinding Fund, created by the gift of $5,000 from Hon. Stephen Salisbury, in December, 1855, the income to be used for the binding of newspapers, periodicals and pamphlets, now amounts to $6,472.97.

4. The Publishing Fund, established in 1858, and originally $6,000, now amounts to $20,290.36. Ten thousand dollars was added to this Fund in 1884, being a legacy from Hon. Stephen Salisbury, and the balance has been raised from time to time by voluntary subscriptions of members and others.

5. The Salisbury Building Fund, founded in October, 1867, by the gift of $8,000 from Hon. Stephen Salisbury, had increased to about $14,000 in 1877, when it was mostly expended in the extension of the Library building and the introduction of steam for heating. This fund, which is now $5,000, was renewed a short time since by the son, a successor in office, of the original donor.

6. The Isaac Davis Book Fund, established by the gift of $500, in January, 1868, from Hon. Isaac Davis, and by his subsequent gift of $1,000, now amounts to $1,589.45. By the terms of the gift the income of the fund "is to be applied to the purchase of books, maps, charts, and works of art, relating to that portion of North America lying south of the United States."

7. The Lincoln Legacy Fund, originally amounting to $1,000, a legacy from the late Gov. Levi Lincoln, with its accumulations, now amounts to $2,608.22. By the terms of the bequest the income is "to be expended as a premium for the writing of papers on archæological subjects."

8.

The Benjamin F. Thomas Local History Fund, of