[Pg i]

[Pg ii]

[Pg iii]

[Pg v]

PREFACE.

It will be generally allowed that a handy guide to the formation oflibraries is required, but it may be that the difficulty of doing justiceto so large a subject has prevented those who felt the want fromattempting to fill it. I hope therefore that it will not be consideredthat I have shown temerity by stepping into the vacant place. I cannothope to have done full justice to so important a theme in the small spaceat my disposal, but I think I can say that this little volume containsmuch information which the librarian and the book lover require and cannoteasily obtain[Pg vi] elsewhere. They are probably acquainted with most of thisinformation, but the memory will fail us at times and it is thenconvenient to have a record at hand.

A book of this character is peculiarly open to criticism, but I hope thecritics will give me credit for knowing more than I have set down. Inmaking a list of books of reference, I have had to make a selection, andworks have been before me that I have decided to omit, although some wouldthink them as important as many of those I have included.

I need not extend this preface with any lengthy explanation of theobjects of the book, as these are stated in the Introduction, but beforeconcluding I may perhaps be allowed to allude to one personalcircumstance. I had hoped to dedicate this first volume of the BookLover's[Pg vii] Library to Henry Bradshaw, one of the most original and mostlearned bibliographers that ever lived, but before it was finished thespirit of that great man had passed away to the inexpressible grief of allwho knew him. It is with no desire to shield myself under the shelter of agreat name, but with a reverent wish to express my own sense of ourirreparable loss that I dedicate this book (though all unworthy of thehonour) to his memory.

[Pg viii]

CONTENTS.

[Pg 1]