How to Form a Library, 2nd ed

Private Libraries

Treating of private libraries, it will be necessary to consider their constitution under two heads, according as they are required in town or country. In London, for instance, where libraries of all kinds are easily accessible, a man need only possess books on his own particular hobby, and a good collection of books of reference; but in the country, away from public libraries, a well-selected collection of standard books will be necessary.

1. Town.

Every one who loves books will be sure to have some favourite authors on special subjects of study respecting which he needs no instruction farther than that which is ready to his hand. Books on these subjects he will need, both in town and country, if he possesses two houses. Some collectors make their town house a sort of gathering-place for the accessions to their country libraries. Here a class is completed, bound, and put in order, and then sent to the country to find its proper place in the family library.

This is an age of books of reference, and as knowledge increases, and the books which impart it to readers become unwieldy from their multitude, there are sure to be forthcoming those who will reduce the facts into a handy form. I have gathered in the following pages the titles of some of the best books of reference which are to be obtained. Many, if not all of these, are to be found in that magnificent library of reference—the Reading Room of the British Museum. In some cases where the books are constantly being reprinted, dates have been omitted. There are, doubtless, many valuable works which I have overlooked, and some Text-books I have had to leave out owing to the exigencies of space, but I trust that the present list will be found useful.

Abbreviations.—Dictionnaire des Abréviations Latines et Françaises usitées dans les inscriptions lapidaires et métalliques, les manuscrits et les chartes du Moyen Age. Par L. Alph. Chassant. Quatrième édition. Paris, 1876. Sm. 8vo.

Anthropology.—Notes and Queries on Anthropology, for the use of Travellers and Residents in Uncivilized Lands. Drawn up by a Committee appointed by the British Association. London, 1874. Sm. 8vo.

Antiquities.—Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities. Edited by Dr. William Smith. Roy. 8vo.

–– Dictionnaire des Antiquités Grecques et Romaines d'après les textes et les Monuments … Ouvrage rédigé … sous la direction de Ch. Daremberg et Edm. Saglio. Paris, 1873. 4to.

–– The Life of the Greeks and Romans described from Antique Monuments, by E. Guhl and W. Koner, translated from the third German edition by F. Hueffer. London, 1875. 8vo.

–– Gallus or Roman Scenes of the Time of Augustus. By W.A. Becker, translated by F. Metcalfe. London.

–– Charicles: Illustrations of the Private Life of the Ancient Greeks. By W.A. Becker, translated by F. Metcalfe. London.

Antiquities.—Archæological Index to remains of antiquity of the Celtic, Romano-British and Anglo-Saxon Periods. By John Yonge Akerman. London, 1847. 8vo.

–– Introduction to English Antiquities. By James Eccleston. London, 1847. 8vo.

–– The English Archæologist's Handbook. By Henry Godwin. Oxford, 1867. 8vo.

Architecture.—A Dictionary of the Architecture and Archæology of the Middle Ages.... By John Britton. London, 1838.

–– History of Architecture in all countries, from the earliest times to the present day. By James Fergusson. London, 1865-76. 4 vols. 8vo.

–– Nicholson's Dictionary of the Science and Practice of Architecture, Building, Carpentry, etc. New edition, edited by Edward Lomax and Thomas Gunyon. London. 2 vols. 4to.

–– An Encyclopædia of Architecture, historical, theoretical, and practical. By Joseph Gwilt, revised by Wyatt Papworth. New edition. London, 1876. 8vo.

–– The Dictionary of Architecture, issued by the Architectural Publication Society. A to Oz. 4 vols. Roy. 4to. (In progress.)

–– A Glossary of Terms used in Grecian, Roman, Italian, and Gothic Architecture. Fifth edition, enlarged. Oxford, 1850. 3 vols. 8vo.

–– An Encyclopædia of Cottage, Farm, and Villa Architecture and Furniture.... By J.C. Loudon. London, 1833. 8vo.

Arts, Manufactures, etc.—Ure's Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures, and Mines, containing a clear exposition of their Principles and Practice. By Robert Hunt, assisted by F.W. Rudler. Seventh edition. London, 1875. 3 vols. 8vo.

–– Spons' Encyclopædia of the Industrial Arts, Manufactures, and Commercial Products. London, 1879. 8 vols. Roy. 8vo.

–– History of Physical Astronomy. By Robert Grant. London [1852]. A most valuable book, but now out of print and scarce.

–– An Historical Survey of the Astronomy of the Ancients. By G. Cornewall Lewis. London, 1862. 8vo.

Bible.—Dictionary of the Bible, comprising its Antiquities, Biography, Mythology, and Geography. By Dr. William Smith. Roy. 8vo.

–– A Biblical Cyclopædia or Dictionary of Eastern Antiquities, Geography, Natural History, Sacred Annals and Biography, Theology and Biblical Literature, illustrative of the Old and New Testaments. Edited by John Eadie, D.D., LL.D. Twelfth edition. London, 1870. 8vo.

–– The Bible Atlas of Maps and Plans to illustrate the Geography and Topography of the Old and New Testaments and the Apocrypha, with Explanatory Notes by Samuel Clark, M.A. Also a complete Index of the Geographical Names … by George Grove. London, 1868. 4to.

Bible. See Concordances (#concord).

Bibliography.—See Chapters V. (#x4_pgepubid00017) and VI. (#x5_pgepubid00019)

Biography.—Mr. Chancellor Christie contributed a very interesting article to the Quarterly Review (April, 1884) on Biographical Dictionaries, in which he details the history of the struggle between the publishers of the Biographie Universelle and Messrs. Didot, whose Dictionary was eventually entitled Nouvelle Biographie Générale. The new edition of the Biographie Universelle (45 vols. Imp. 8vo. Paris, 1854) is an invaluable work. Chalmers's Biographical Dictionary (32 vols. 8vo. 1812-17) is a mine of literary wealth, from which compilers have freely dug. Rose's (12 vols. 8vo. 1848) was commenced upon a very comprehensive plan, but the lives were considerably contracted before the work was completed. It is, however, a very useful work. L.B. Phillips's "Dictionary of Biographical Reference" contains 100,000 names, and gives the dates of birth and death, which in many instances is all the information the consulter requires, and should more be required, he is referred to the authority. This book is quite indispensable for every library. There are several national Biographical Dictionaries, and at last a thoroughly satisfactory Biographia Britannica is in course of publication by Messrs. Smith & Elder. The "Dictionary of National Biography, edited by Leslie Stephen," has reached the fifth volume, and extends to Bottisham.

–– Robert Chambers's Biographical Dictionary of Eminent Scotsmen (Glasgow, 1835-56. 5 vols. 8vo.) will be found useful.

Biography.—Dr. William Allen's "American Biographical Dictionary" was published at Boston in 1857.

–– Biographie Nouvelle des Contemporains … Par A.V. Arnault [etc.]. Paris, 1820-25. 20 vols. 8vo. Mr. Edward Smith points this book out to me as specially valuable for information respecting actors in the French Revolution.

–– Handbook of Contemporary Biography. By Frederick Martin. London, 1870. Sm. 8vo.

–– Men of the Time: a Dictionary of Contemporaries. Eleventh edition. Revised by Thompson Cooper. London, 1884. Sm. 8vo. A volume of 1168 pages should contain a fair representation of the men of the day, and yet it is ludicrously incomplete. The literary side is as much overdone as the scientific side is neglected. This is not the place to make a list of shortcomings, but it will probably astonish most of our readers to learn that such eminent Men of the Time as Sir Frederick Abel, Sir Frederick Bramwell, and the late Dr. W.B. Carpenter are not mentioned. As this book has as a high reputation, the editor should thoroughly revise it for a new edition.

–– Men of the Reign. A Biographical Dictionary of Eminent Characters of both Sexes, who have died during the reign of Queen Victoria. Edited by T. Humphry Ward. (Uniform with "Men of the Time.") London, 1885.

Biography.—Dictionnaire Universel des Contemporains.... Par G. Vapereau. Cinquième edition. Paris, 1880. 8vo.

–– Supplément. Oct. 1881.

–– Biographie Nationale des Contemporains, redigée par une Société de Gens de Lettres sous la direction de M. Ernest Glaeser. Paris, 1878. Royal 8vo.

–– Dictionnaire Général de Biographie Contemporaine Française et Etrangère. Par Ad. Bitard. Paris, 1878. 8vo.

–– To this list of Contemporary Biography may be added the Indexes of Obituary Notices published by the Index Society.

(Bishops.)—Fasti Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ, or a Calendar of the principal Ecclesiastical Dignitaries in England and Wales, and of the chief officers in the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, from the earliest time to the year 1715. Compiled by John Le Neve. Corrected and continued from 1715 to the present time by T. Duffus Hardy. Oxford, 1854. 3 vols. 8vo.

–– Fasti Ecclesiæ Hibernicæ. The Succession of the Prelates and Members of Cathedral Bodies in Ireland. By Henry Cotton, D.C.L. Dublin, 1847-60. 5 vols. 8vo.

(Lawyers.)—Lives of the Chief Justices of England. By John Lord Campbell. Second edition. London, 1858. 3 vols. 8vo.

–– Lives of the Lord Chancellors and Keepers of the Great Seal of England. By John Lord Campbell. Fourth edition. London, 1856. 10 vols. Sm. 8vo.

(Scientific Men.)—Poggendorff (J.C.). Biographisch-Literarisches Handwörterbuch zur Geschichte der exacten Wissenschaften, enthaltend Nachweisungen über Lebensverhältnisse und Leistungen von Mathematikern, Astronomen, Physikern, Chemikern, Mineralogen, Geologen u.s.w. aller Völker und Zeiten. Leipzig, 1863. Roy. 8vo.

(Cambridge.)—Athenæ Cantabrigienses. By Charles Henry Cooper, F.S.A., and Thompson Cooper. Cambridge, 1858-61. Vol. I. 1500-1585. Vol. II. 1586-1609. 8vo.

–– Graduati Cantabrigienses, 1760-1856. Cura Josephi Romilly, A.M. Cantabrigiæ, 1856.