and coins were soon formed (Mackenzie's Newcastle). The first part of the transactions, according to Richardson's Table Book, was published in 1816, under the title of Archæologia Eliana. This is rather difficult to understand, since the first volume of the recognized Archæologia Eliana was printed by Sarah Hodgson in 1822. A report for the year 1813 was issued in 1814, also printed by her. Catalogues of the books, manuscripts, drawings, etc., were issued in 1816, 1839 (printed by T. and J. Hodgson), 1863 (printed by William Dodd), and 1896 (printed by Browne and Browne). The last-mentioned runs to 125 pages, of about 40 lines per page, and has a classified index of about 50 pages. ARMSTRONG COLLEGE LIBRARY: This contains about 10,000 volumes and is being steadily developed. The strongest sections are, perhaps, Greek and Latin, Mathematics, Chemistry, English. Two benefactions have lately been received, one from the Right Hon. R. Spence Watson (mainly of early English texts), the other (a firstrate selection of mathematical treatises) from Dr. Merz. COLLEGE OF MEDICINE LIBRARY: This contains, roughly, 5,000 volumes, mostly acquired in the last 20 or 30 years. The books, which are of a medical character, are for the use of the College Staff and of students. ROYAL VICTORIA INFIRMARY MEDICAL LIBRARY: This important library, of about 8,000 volumes, is the property of the Governors, and is supported by the Physicians and Surgeons of the Institution out of the funds paid by the medical students. The Governors, the Medical Officers, and the Northumberland and Durham Medical Society, are allowed to take out the books free, other practitioners and students on a subscription of 10/- a year.

PUBLIC LIBRARY.-In 1854 the late Dr. Newton, father of Sir Henry W.Newton, the present Chairman of the Public Libraries Committee, moved in the Town Council that a Committee be appointed to consider the propriety of, and report upon the measures necessary for, the formation of a Free Library. The motion was carried and the Committee appointed, but no practical results were achieved. In 1870, however, his son, Councillor (now Alderman Sir Henry) Newton again brought the matter forward. A fresh Committee was formed, which next year presented to the Council an exhaustive report. The report concluded by recommending that a public meeting be convened in accordance with the requirements of the Public Libraries Acts, with a view to their adoption in this borough. This meeting was held in 1872, and the resolution that the Acts be adopted was carried; but, the correctness of some of the proceedings having been questioned, it was agreed at the next Council meeting that another public meeting should be held at an early date. It was not till 1874, however, that this final meeting was held. Sir Henry Newton then again proposed the adoption of the Public Libraries Acts, and his motion was carried by a large majority. In July the Libraries Committee was definitely appointed. Sir Henry Newton was appointed Chairman, an office which he has held from that day to this. Amongst other well-known men on the Committee were Dr. R. Spence Watson, who has been Chairman of the Books Committee ever since; Dr. J. Collingwood Bruce (of Roman Wall fame); and Mr. Joseph Cowen. But even the appointment of the Committee did not diminish the activity of the opponents of the movement. Although elsewhere it had been found that opposition ceased when the Acts had been adopted it was otherwise in Newcastle. For five years the fighting lasted, now about one thing now about another, but chiefly about the choice of a site.* In June, 1879, the site in New Bridge Street was definitely chosen, and before long arrangements were made for the building of the new institution, which was to incorporate the Mechanics' Institute described before. In September, 1880, the new Public Lending Library was opened by Mr. Joseph Cowen. The first librarian was Mr. W. J. Haggerston, and he issued a dictionary catalogue of over 330 pages, which proved extremely popular. In 1883 the Thomlinson Library was, by a deed of transfer, handed over to the Public Libraries Committee. Then, in 1884, the Reference Library was opened by the Prince of Wales (now King Edward VII.), this being the first occasion, according to The Athenæum, on which a Public Library had been inaugurated by royalty. In 1887 a supplementary catalogue for the Lending Library, on the same plan, and of about the same size as the other, was issued.

* See "The Struggle for a Public Library in Newcastle-upon-Tyne," by the present writer

In 1883 the Committee purchased the valuable scientific library of Mr. C. W. Merrifield, F.R.S., the mathematician. It consisted of over 1,000 volumes, and was especially rich in works on mathematics and naval architecture. Two interesting volumes may be mentioned: the editio princeps of Euclid in Latin (printed by Ratdolt in 1482), and the editio princeps of Euclid in Greek (printed by Hervagius in 1533). Mr. Merrifield had contributed over 100 papers to the Institution of Naval Architects, as well as a great many to the Philosophical Transactions, the London Mathematical Society, etc., etc. In 1889 Mr. H. P. A. Buchanan Riddell, C.S.I.,died, leaving to the Public Library a valuable collection of books. He had been in the Bengal Civil Service, and was a member of the Legislative Council of India. For some years he had served the old East India Company. The bequest consisted of between 800 and 900 volumes, a number that was subsequently increased considerably by Sir John W. Buchanan Riddell. The collection included works on Indian Antiquities, History, and Language, as well as complete sets of "Asiatic Researches," and of the Journals and Transactions of the Asiatic Societies of Bengal, Bombay, and Great Britain. Mr. Haggerston the librarian died in 1894, and was succeeded by the present librarian. The first branch library was opened in 1897, the second in 1899. Both were the gifts of Sir William Stephenson. As at the branches, so at the Central Library, the dictionary form of catalogue had by now been abandoned in favour of the classified form, which, as the number of books grew, was found to be more manageable and more convenient. At the Central Library several subjects have already been dealt with, e. g., Fine Arts (1900), Useful Arts (1903), etc. The system of classification used in each case is Dewey's Decimal Classification. A Catalogue of Books and Tracts on Pure Mathematics has also been issued (1901).

Bewick Collection : This collection was a bequest to the Public Library by John William Pease. For over 40 years he had been gathering it together, and he left it as an heirloom to the city where he dwelt. He died in 1901, and in due course the bequest came into the possession of the Public Libraries Committee. Its richness and importance were obvious to the Committee, and they built a special gallery within the precincts of the Library in order to house it worthily. A fully annotated catalogue, with illustrations, was prepared by the Public Librarian and one of his assistants, and was charmingly printed by Messrs. Ward & Sons. The choice of the printers was especially appropriate, since 21 years after Bewick's death the founder of the firm took over his engraving business, as already stated. This catalogue may be procured from the Public Library.

To resume the sketch of the Public Library's development. In order to consolidate the catalogues of the Central Lending Library, two volumes were issued-viz.: a Catalogue of Fiction in 1906, and in 1908 a General Author Catalogue of other subjects. This last forms a volume of over 700 pages. In 1909 two new Branch Libraries were opened, on what is known as the Open Access system. In the same year a classified catalogue of Books on Education, arranged first by authors and then by subjects, was published. The catalogue covers the resources of the Central Reference and Lending Libraries, and of two of the Branches. Thus since 1880 a great expansion of the Public Library system in Newcastle has taken place. Then there were 20,000 volumes; now there are about 155,000. Several special collections of great value have been incorporated; classified catalogues, appealing to special classes, are being issued as rapidly as is practicable, the resources of the libraries being thus more clearly exhibited; and by means of the Branch Libraries the population in the outer parts of the city is being effectually reached.

COLLOQUIALISMS

A memorial portrait of the late Mr. William Downing, of The Chaucer's Head, 5 Temple Row, Birmingham, is given here. It was taken only a few months ago, and is an excellent likeness. Mr. Downing was one of the most highly-respected antiquarian booksellers in the United Kingdom. He died suddenly, from heart failure, on January 18th, aged 64, and next day the following obituary notice appeared in The Birmingham Daily Post.

"

Birmingham book-lovers will hear with sincere regret of the death of Mr. William Downing, which took place yesterday at Aldine Cottage, Olton. Mr. Downing was a typical bookman of the old type, and his establishment, The Chaucer's Head,' formerly in New Street, and in more recent years in Temple Row, was the resort of literary men and antiquarians, not only of the immediate locality but from long distances. He was himself a lover of books, an extremely competent judge of the value of old and rare editions, and invariably a fair and upright dealer.

Mr. Downing was born in Birmingham in 1844, and at the age of fourteen was apprenticed to Mr. William Brough, who had then a shop in Paradise Street. Afterwards he set up in business for himself, and in 1870 he succeeded Mr. Cadby in the business of The Chaucer's Head Library, near Christchurch Steps, in New Street. At this establishment he became very widely known, and his store became the social meeting place of the literary circle of which the late Sam Timmins was the most prominent figure. After the destruction of the old free library by fire in 1879 Mr. Downing was called into consultation by the Libraries Committee. He went all over the country on their behalf, and purchased valuable books to replace those which had been destroyed in the conflagration. Mr. Downing was hon. treasurer of the Birmingham and District Library Association since its formation. A large proportion of the valuable Cromwellian Collection made by the late Sir Richard Tangye was purchased with the assistance of Mr. Downing, who had a roving commission on Sir Richard Tangye's behalf. Among his customers and correspondents Mr. Downing numbered some of the most eminent men of the day. He had continuous correspondence with the late Mr. Gladstone, who made many purchases from The Chaucer's Head, though he never set foot in the shop. Tennyson, Ruskin, Walter Besant, Henry Irving, Richard Burton, and many other notabilities were pleased to make Mr. Downing's acquaintance.

In 1875 Mr. Downing went to reside at Olton, and was one of the promoters of the erection of the Church of which the Rev. Dr. Butler is the vicar. For eighteen years he was vicar's warden. He was also active in the movement for the establishment of Acock's Green Institute, and he was a member of the Technical Committee formed under the auspices of the County Council. Mr. Downing was much loved and respected by a large social circle, whose warmest sympathy will be extended towards the members of his family, and especially the widow in her bereavement."

Space is so limited in this Part that I can only add that among his colleagues Mr. Downing was more than liked—he was loved, if men may use the term in speaking of each other. The tributes to his character which have come into my possession since his death have been of the warmest nature. He and I were fellow-townsmen, having been born in Birmingham within seven years of each other, he being the senior, and I had known him for 37 years. Also, strangely enough, I was probably the last bookseller to see him in the life. Upon January 13th I was in Birmingham and called to see him. He was very ill, but was going to Weston-super-Mare the next day, and went, but had to be brought back on the 18th, and died while being carried into his house. His nature was of the gentlest and sweetest, and perhaps his best epitaph, and the one he would most have appreciated, was the remark made by one of his local colleagues the day after he died, viz., that He seemed to have a different standard to other booksellers, and he always had time for a gentle answer." And, as I have written elsewhere, "He was essentially a gentle little man, and, also essentially, a little gentleman." Requiescat in Pace!

*

*

The following is the name of an American buyer to whom catalogues should be sent :-J. S. Barnes, Esq., 10 East 79th Street, New York City.

35 Pond Street, Hampstead, N.W.

FRANK KARSLAKE