receive the fine library bequeathed to it by the late Theodore Parker, consisting of nearly 18,000 volumes.

The Boston Athenæum ranks fourth in the number of its volumes, is peculiarly rich in the transactions of learned societies, and has a considerable portion of General Washington's library. It has now about 75,000 volumes, and has cost for its building and books full $300,000. Though a proprietary library, it is practically free to the public for consultation. It was founded in 1806, but its principal growth has been within the last twenty-five years.

1818, but its principal increase has been since 1845, at which time the Warden collection of works on America was purchased and incorporated in the library. The late Dr. T. Romeyn Beck superintended it for many years, and to his judicious purchases it is indebted for much of its value. Its present number of volumes is not far from 55,000. The library of the Smithsonian Institution at Washington, though not so large as some others, numbering little more than 35,000 volumes, is a very valuable collection. The aim of Dr. Henry, the secretary of the institution, has been to make it particularly The library of Congress, which was nearly full in those departments in which other lidestroyed by fire in 1851, has since been re-braries are deficient. Its books are loaned stored and largely increased. The purchases to eminent scholars at a distance, when being made under the direction of a com- needed for the preparation of works of immittee of the two Houses, comprising their portance. For some years it received a copy most eminent scholars, are judicious, and the of all copyright books in the country. library, which contains about 65,000 volumes, is one of the best for reference and consultation in the country. The library of the House of Representatives, also in the Capitol, contains about 40,000 volumes.

The Philadelphia Library Company and Loganian Collection is another of the proprietary libraries which are accessible to the public for consulting purposes free of charge. Though founded 130 years ago, its growth has been mainly achieved during the present century. In 1800, it contained only 7000 or 8000 volumes, while its present number is about 70,000.

The American Antiquarian Society at Worcester has an exceedingly valuable collection on American antiquities. Founded in 1812, by the late Isaiah Thomas, who was for twenty years its president, and who gave it about 9000 volumes, it has now about 26,000 volumes, many of them unique in this country.

The New York Historical Society, founded in 1804, has a very valuable library of about 30,000 volumes, mainly confined to American history and literature; a museum of American relics and antiquities; a large picture gallery; and has recently purchased the fine collection of Egyptian antiquities procured by the late Dr. Abbott.

The New York Mercantile Library is the largest of the subscription and lending libra- The American Academy of Natural Sciries which are found in most of the consid-ences at Philadelphia has a museum of naterable towns of the United States. It pos- ural history of nearly 30,000 specimens, and sesses a fine edifice in Astor Place, which cost a library of about 27,000 volumes, more nearly $240,000, and the rent of that portion complete in natural history than any other, of the building not occupied for library pur- and also containing a very full collection of poses and reading-rooms, will give it, when the revolutionary literature of France, preits debt is liquidated, a considerable annual sented them by Mr. William Maclure. fund in addition to its receipts for membership. Its reading-room is the largest in the country, though the free reading-room of the Cooper Institute very nearly approaches it. Its library, though intended mainly for popular readers rather than scholars, contains a very considerable collection of valuable works of reference. Its present number of volumes is about 60,000.

The New York State Library at Albany is by far the largest of all the state libraries, and is especially valuable for its fine collection of works on American history and on the natural sciences. It was founded in

Two other foundations for libraries are deserving of notice: that of George Peabody, Esq., for the Peabody Institute at Baltimore, which contemplates a library in connection with a gallery of the fine arts, a musical conservatory, etc., the entire endowment amounting to $600,000; and that of the late David Watkinson, of Hartford, Connecticut, who left, in 1857, the sum of $100,000 to found a library of reference in connection with the Connecticut Historical Society, and also made that library his residuary legatee.

These are the most remarkable public libraries of the country. There are, according

to the latest returns, 3 libraries containing the persons or events described, often to the over 100,000 volumes each; 9 containing over number of some hundreds in each volume. 50,000 volumes each; 19 containing 30,000 volumes or more; 26 containing 25,000 volumes or more; 41 containing over 20,000; and 120 containing 10,000 or more.

The total aggregate of volumes in college, state, national, proprietary, subscription, free, and town libraries, is not far from 3,800,000, and is increasing with great rapidity.

There are, besides these, in many of the states, school-district and academic libraries, containing a very large aggregate amount of books. In the state of New York, the number of volumes in the academic libraries reporting to the Board of Regents exceeds 125,000; and the number of volumes in the common-school libraries exceeds 1,500,000. Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Iowa, also make provision for such libraries, and have large numbers of them. The latest school returns indicate that the number of volumes in this class of libraries is not far from 4,000,000.

There are in the city of New York alone not less than 25 private libraries containing more than 10,000 volumes each, and in Boston a still larger number. Philadelphia has also many very choice private libraries.

Some of these private collections are very complete on American local history. Noticeable among these are the libraries of Peter Force, Esq., of Washington, D. C.; George Brinley, Esq., of Hartford, Connecticut; George W. Greene, of Providence, R. I.; and Messrs. George Bancroft, J. C. Brevoort, W. J. Davis, H. C. Murphy, William Menzies, and J. R. Brodhead, of New York. The library of Hon. Henry Barnard, at Hartford, Connecticut, is more complete on the subject of education than any other in the country; that of W. Parker Foulke, Esq., of Philadelphia, is very full on prisons and prison discipline, and that of S. Austin Allibone, Esq., of the same city, on English literature and criticism; that of David N. Lord, of New York, on ecclesiastical and Another class of libraries, containing in polemic literature; that of Professor Charles the aggregate a vast number of volumes, and Anthon, of the same city, contains a fine colin many cases works of considerable size and lection of classics and works on classical litervalue, are the Sunday School libraries. Few ature; that of G. W. Pratt, also of New York, of these contain less than 200 volumes, and on Oriental languages and literature; that of many of them have 1000 or more. More C. L. Bushnell, on numismatics; that of J. A. than 4000 different works have been pub- Stevens, jr., on the literature of the Middle lished for these libraries within a few years Ages; those of Messrs. W. P. Chapman and past by the publishing societies and private R. G. White, on dramatic and especially publishers, and large drafts are also made by Shakspearian literature; that of D. W. Fiske, the larger schools on English publications on Scandinavian literature; that of George and those intended for adults. Estimating Folsom, on history and geography; that of the number of these schools at 35,000, or R. M. Hunt, on architecture; and those of about two thirds the number of churches (an Archbishop Hughes, Rev. Dr. Forbes, Rev. estimate considerably below the truth), and Dr. Hatfield, and Rev. Dr. Bethune, on the volumes in each library at 200, we have theology, ecclesiastical biography, and paan aggregate of 7,000,000 volumes collected tristic literature. in these humble libraries.

As might be expected, the rapid growth of public libraries has stimulated gentlemen of wealth and intellectual tastes to collect private libraries of considerable extent, and in many cases devoted to some specialty. Perhaps the largest of these private collections is that of James Lenox, Esq., of New York, which is especially rich in early works and in Bibles.

One of the most singular is that of John Allan, Esq., of the same city, which contains a very considerable collection of books which have been interleaved and illustrated by the collector, with choice engravings of

There are in connection with many of our benevolent and humane institutions special libraries containing a few hundred or thousand volumes devoted to the particular work of those institutions. Thus, the American Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb, at Hartford, and the New York Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, have each a very considerable collection of works on deaf mute instruction; the American Bible Society has a fine collection of Bibles in all languages; and the American Bible Union, a valuable collection of works on biblical criticism and exegesis, procured for the use of its translators.