INTRODUCTION. THIS work was first undertaken at the request of the Young Men's Association of the State of NewYork.* It was mainly intended, at the outset, as a help to Associations, Lyceums, School Districts, &c., &c., in selecting useful and interesting works for their libraries. In proportion as such libraries are multiplied, and spread out their stores before the whole people, in the same proportion it is important that they should be composed of useful and improving books, to the exclusion of all that are noxious, or merely worthless. In this great object the compiler * Extract from the Proceedings of the Second Annual Meeting of the Young Men's State Association, held at Auburn, August 4th, 1842: Whereas libraries for young men's associations, school districts, &c., are most important instruments for the education and improvement of our people; and whereas the persons immediately charged with the duty of selecting books often find it extremely difficult to make judicious selections, which will be satisfactory to their employers; therefore, Resolved, that, in the estimation of this Association, it is highly desirable that a small volume, of the size of one of the volumes of the School District Library, be prepared under the supervision of the Association, to contain a course of reading, bibliographical notices of books in different departments of learning, and catalogues of libraries, both large and small, for the use of young men's associations, school district libraries, private persons, &c., &c. On motion of Mr. French, of Albany, Resolved, that Messrs. Alonzo Potter, Amos Dean, and Francis Dwight, be requested to see whether arrangements can be made for the publication of such a volume, and be a committee to prepare the same. has felt so deep an interest, that he has considered it a privilege to rescue from other, and engrossing cares, an occasional hour for this labour of love. It occurred to him, in the progress of the work, that it might be advantageously extended, so as to meet the wants of scholars in the earlier stages of their researches, and of young persons, who may desire some aid in tracing out a judicious course of reading or study. This volume is accordingly composed of three parts: PART FIRST embraces various courses of reading or study for general readers, professional students, and for those who are engaged in investigating particular branches of literature. PART SECOND contains a series of authors in philosophy, literature, and science, who have gained the rank of classics in their respective departments. They are arranged in chronological order, with brief notices, so that this part of the work may be found useful, not only as a compendium of Bibliography, but also as a very brief sketch of literary history. It is intended especially for the use of those who are engaged in original researches, or who are anxious to collect around them the great teachers of wisdom who belong to history. It should be understood, however, that its pretensions are humble. It does not profess to supersede the larger works on Bibliography, nor to give a complete catalogue of classic or standard works, but merely to guide the student in the earliest stages of investigation. |