Lively, and Witty; a Lover of Punning and of His

A Sho rt History

Th e L i br a ry C o m p a n y o f P h i l a d él p h i a

om e om the Minutes to ethe w th C pil d fr , g r i some personal remin iscences

George M au rice Abbot Librarian and Treasurer

Publi shed by order of The B oard o f Di rectors

This attempt to tell the story of the Library Comp any in a

’ Words been few , has read before the Philadelphia Booksellers

A t also ssocia ion, for Whom it was prepared, and before The i b Pennsylvan ia L brary Clu .

M A. 1 1 G. . November, 9 2

THE LI BRAR" CO MP AN " OF P HILADELP HIA

HE beginning of the Lib Com any of Philadel )hia ’ a ] fou ndecl was l rge owing to the unto, a club by Ben armn ran khn a scientiﬁc j for liter ry and discussion, al the reading of original essays, poems, and so forth, c led a “ ” r n in Club of Mutual Improvement. F a kl says in his autobiograph “ ' A s l t bout t time, our c ub mee ing, not at a tavern, but in ’

t Mr. a li tle room of Grace s set apart for that purpose, a propo ’ sition our referr was made by me, that since books were often d t to in our disquisi ions upon the queries, it might be con venient o s for to have them together where we met, that upon occasions they might be consulted ; and by thus clubbing our ’ we we lik books to a common library, should While d it keep o s them together, have each of the advantage of usin the all ul a books of the other members, which wo d be ne r y as ’ fi i was lik bene c al as if each owned the Whole . It d and agreed ’ we fill d we to, and one end of the room with such books as w could best spare . The number as not so great as we ex ’ ected in p ; and tho they had been of great use, yet some a convenience occuring for want of due c re of them, the col c was le tion , after about a year, separated, and each took his A fir t books home again . n d now I set on foot my s project of

r . I a public nature, that for a subscription libra y drew up ro osals p , got them put into form by our great scrivener, Brockden m , and by the help of friends of the Junto, pro cured ﬁfty subscribers of forty shil ings each to begin With and car ﬁft was ten shillings a for y years, the term our company a m u to continue . e afterwards obt ined a charter, the co pa being increased to one hundred ; this was the mother of l

A . the North merican subscription libraries, now so numerous A was u 1 1 73 1 The Instrument of ssociation dated J ly , , 1 74 an d between that date and 2, when they obtained their

- t ﬁve A . second charter, eigh y signed the rticles was rankl n The ﬁrst to sign Robert Grace, described by F i “ i a tu as be ng, a young gentlem n of some for ne, generous, l an t d . ively, Wit y ; a lover of punning and of his friends was m The second Tho as Hopkinson , father of Francis Hop

kinson , one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence . The share passed from father to son for four generations and ﬁnall c y be ame the property of Christ Church , in which name d ﬁve it now stan s, having been in but names in one hundred

and eighty years . The third signer was Benjamin Fran klin ; a ranklin his sh re descended to Benjamin F Bache, William

r. Duane, , Franklin Bache, and is now in the name of ewson Thomas Bache . Other original shares are still owned by the descendants of h who ﬁrst A t ose signed the Articles of ssociation . “ ” As was few m the Junto composed of but me bers, the greater part of the subscribers were not those associated With the W i . 4 original club . ill am Rawle acquired share No 2 in 1 732 ; a ﬁrst A he appe rs to have been the merican donor, having pre “ 1 2th a 1 733 sented on the of M rch, , six volumes of the works ” Mr of . Edmund Spencer and the Minute recording this gift with great simplicity says “the famous old English poem ’ ” F w called Spencer s airy Q ueen is included in these orks. The Wi lliam Rawle share is now in the name of William

. 67 1 7 6 a . 3 Brooke Rawle Samuel Co tes had share No , in ,

Which descended to Dr. Benjamin Hornor Coates and is now

owned by Jose h Hornor Coates, having been in the name of

- Coates for one undred and seventy six years . By one interested in such matters quite a long list might be made of original shares comin down in the same family to i the present t me, in fact one of t e most interesting books in “ the Library is A Chronological Register of the names of ” a 1 839 Z Members, prep red in by achariah Poulson, one of n i . the Directors, and co tinued to the present t me — ' The ﬁrst Board of Directors was as follows z Ben amin m a Franklin, Thomas Hopkinson , Willia P rsons, Philip yng,

r. i A J , Thomas God re nthony Nicholas, Thomas Cad W la er a d r. a , John Jones, , Robert Gr ce, and Isaac Pennington, ﬁrst was Treasurer William Coleman , and the meeting held on 8 m 1 73 1 the evening of the th of Nove ber, , at the house of

Nicholas Scull . The Minutes of the Company begin as “ — M me Brein tnall follows The inutes of , Joseph , Secretary to the Directors of the Library Company of Philadelphia, with such of the Minutes of the same Directors as they order me to 8 1 73 1 . B make . Begun the th Day of November, y virtue of the Deed or Instrument of the said Company dated the first ” Day of July last. Several meetings were held at the house of Nicholas Scull and much discussion took place as to When the first im ortation of books should be made and what books At 29th 1 73 should e ordered . a meeting held March , 2, “ it was thought best to meet for a private conversation , Thomas Godfrey at this meeting informed us that Mr. Logan had let him know he would willingly give his advice of the choice of the books he was desired to return the thanks ofi er—an d of the Committee to Mr. Logan for his generous

the Committee esteeming Mr. Logan to be a Gentlemen of a r universal le rning, and the best judge of books in these pa ts, w e ordered that Mr. Godfrey should ait on him and requ st him ” At to favour them with a catalogue of suitable books. a “ 3 l st 1 732 meeting held March , , Robert Grace, to expedite the ’ aﬁ air oﬂ ered , to draw on his own correspondent in London for such a sum sterling as would answer the money in the ’ ” A ort Treasurer s hands . ccordingly a Bill of F y Five Pounds

Sterling, on Peter Collinson , Mercer in Gracious Street, Lon don , payable to Thomas Hopkinson, together with a list of

Mr . was . the books wanted, sent to Hopkinson It is of interest to know what books were on this list as showing the tastes and wishes of the readers of that time and it is also of interest to know that at the present time ( 1 9 12 ) a number of the books then ordered are still on the shelves of the Library. 3 l st 1 73 Books ordered March , 2

CATALOGUE OF BOOK S

’ ’ Puﬁ d f en or s In tro u 8 vo . on . d c a . Hayes upon Flux i s ’ ’ Dr. owe i o H l s H st ry of ye K e il s Astronomical Lectures . W ’ or . 3 o F . s . o ld v l D rake s An atomy . ’ a in s i m sto of n an . i on o rn nt R p H ry E gl d S dn ey G ve e . ’

1 vo s. 8 vo 2 l . Cato s Letters . ’ a mon s Mo ern to m o e s . eur u ort o a ra ssa S l d Hi ry Si s D P R y l l ys. ’ ’ Vertot u io s e o t n s. o i R v l Cro usay s Art f Th nking . ’ u h tarc s ves in sma vol . ectator Pl Li ll Sp . ’ tan e s ves of h o uar ian S l y Li ye P il G d . he so rs . p Tatler. ’ n na s of Tac tu s or on . Puﬁ en dorf s a s o f N ature m w 8 . A l i by G d L , [5] ’ W r i Collection of Voyages. 6 vols. Addison s o ks n 1 2mo . mo Th o . 4 to . Me ra e n f ocrates. Atlas Geogra 5 vols. bl i gs S ’ k h Tur . Go rdon s Grammar. is Spy ’ m brid m h . of : o . Brightlan d s En ish Gram ar A g t. P il Tran s : 5 v ls ’ gl to Greenwood s 4 . ’ f ’ m . h o . . John son s History o An i als Gravesend s Nat. P il s 2 vols

i . d . a a o 8 vo Architect by An w P ll d . ’ ’ o th an c nt o rhaav h m r Evelyn s Parallels f e ie B e e s C e ist y . h t tur h om an d modern Arc i ec e . T e C pleat Tradesman . ’ ’ — v t f Hu Bai e D ict o m ro m . o s 8 nar th e Bradley s I p l y i y e b st. ' i her Boo omer s I a a an r an d h s Ot ks n d O sse . b d y, H li d dy y ’ i Ba e rit i of Garden n g. yl s C ical D ctionary . ’ ’

n . Perkinson s Herbal . Dryde s Virgil ’ ’

i hron o o . O z anam s ourse of t Helvic us s C l gy C Ma hem . ’

t te 5 o s. W ood s Insti u s. v l ’

tal o . Dechall s Euclid . Ca gues ’ ’ L Hospital s Conic Sections.

4 to .

Some of the books ordered were not received and were re placed by others carefully chosen . They arrived in October 1 73 2, and among them as a gift from Peter Collinson , were two books— “ Sir Isaac Newton’ s Philosophy ” and “ Philip ’ ’ ”

a . Miller s G rdener s Dictionary In regard to the latter book, ’ it is rather a curious thing that recently this Gardener s Dic ' tion ary has been used quite a good deal in spite of its one hundred and eighty years . ’ r The books were taken to Mr. G ace s chamber at his ’ A a t Al house in Jones lley, ( lso called Pewter Pla ter ley and n ow Church Street) and there placed on the shelves. “ A new catalogue was made out ; in one corner of it the time each book or sett of books was to be lent for, and in another the value or sum for which every borrower should give his note of hand to the Librarian . “ Orders were agreed to be set up in the Library room for ” s those persons to ob erve who came to read or borrow books . “ Louis Timothee (who rented the said house of R . Grace) was contracted with to be Librarian and articles of agreement m were si ned and sealed by him and a Com ittee of Directors,

4 1 73 . the 1 t of November, 2 It was agreed that he should be Librarian for three months — “ from the above date -an d That he shall give due attendance ’ in the Library on Wednesdays from two till three o clock, and [6] aimﬁ bgonologi

Chrillopher Helvicus

rod into e ua nterva s of Tens Fi fties and Hun reds q l I l , d

With an Aﬂigrm ion of MFI R E s K l N oD o msj C O V ER N MEN TS h ,

rinces Roman o es TurkiﬂnEm crours P , P p , p , Pro ets Divincs a w ers ph . . l y , ' mid “ ormu . Hu , Rabbit”. Councnli .

Faithﬁall one into En l iﬂ] accor in to the two ell E itions y d g d g b d , vi t at of Frmro m and that of Or and" z , h f , l

' d inlar d Wi th Addiuom all throu hout and CO l l‘d down to An g g . l ‘ thc l rcfcnt Tim 's

L O N D O M

OX FOR D D , M CLXXXVN.

In the ﬁrst importation T H E

Ga rdeners Dicti ona ry

Cm u mmg the M E T H O D S of

U T C L I V ATI N G and I MP R O V I N G 9

Kitchen Fr ont and low et' G ar , E den .

A S

' Am imm tbL l p m c t of “

1 . 0 N o u

ma l fo r the A 1 01 " U R Pri ,

‘ ‘ V - o L h a r o w at ( ht N J; m l CM m ﬁ s h ( b cn I l u : h m" S M by . R n ,

In the ﬁrst importation on Saturdays from the hours of ten till four an d may per mit an civil gentlemen to peruse the books of the Library in r l suﬁ er the Li ra y room, but sha l not lend to, or to be taken out of the Library by any rson who is not a subscribing

sa ks Mr. member, any of the id , James Logan only ” excepted . The Committee of Directors in consideration of the said ’ Louis Timothee s care and trouble in the remises and for the use of the room shall pay at t e expiration of the said three months the sum of Three Pounds lawful money l certain , and such a further a lowance as then after such time of experience shall by the parties hereto be thought and concluded ” 3 r 1 M . so . 73 to be a rea nable reward In , Timothee having ofﬁ ce ran klin ff vacated his as Librarian , Benjamin F o ered to He take his place for the current year . occupied the position for three months and a day . An d now, some books having been bought, a room and a a a Librarian engaged, the Libr ry was prep red to begin its work . What that work has been we are to a certain extent able to n a understa d from the Minute Books, extr cts from which are here given :

Ex'ru c'rs m om THE MI N UTES

a 8 1 73 was Janu ry th, 2 it resolved that the books of the Library should be covered with sheathing paper and that it Ste hen Potts should be spoke to, to do , for the preservation of t e binding. “ 1 1 th 1 732 At m B. Franklin was December , , this eeting asked what his charge was for printing a catalogue for each subscriber ; and his answer was that he designed them for l m ” presents, and shou d ake no charge for them . “ 14 1 733 t May th , , This evening a Commi tee of Directors m ’ met at Mr. Ti othee s and consulted about addressing our Proprietor (Thomas Penn) in order for his countenance and protection in an affair so useful and well intended as the

Library. The following day “ the persons appointed to draw

up an address, brought and delivered it to the Directors some objection was made to the style by those who had ac ‘ ’ customed themselves to what is called the plain language ” but the address was agreed to. [7] “ 1 1 th 1 734 was February , It proposed that ’ the time of the Librarian s attendance should be only one day in the week (it having been found by experience that the borrowers of books did not commonly come to the Library on

Wednesdays). l st 1 73 8 m May , , a letter ca e to the Gentlemen of the ’

Es r. Library Company from ohn Penn , q , one of our ’

Hon ble Mr. Proprietors, by t e hands of Samuel Jenkins, as follows

GENTLEMEN It alwa s gives me a pleasure when I think of the Library hiladel hia ﬁrst encour Company of p , as the were the that aged knowledge and learning in t e Province of Pennsylvania .

Mr. I have herewith sent you by Samuel Jenkins, the bearer - tu hereof, an air pu p with some other things to shew the nature and power of the air ; which will be both useful an d pleasant ; and Mr. Jenkins being a gentleman well acquainted with t a n na ur l k owledge, and the mathematics, has been so kind as to c ﬁ er his assistance in explaining the many experiments to I am be made thereon . with much regard, your sincere friend, OHN P EN N J . ’

3 1 1 73 8 . London , , Jan y

The Directors regarding the mention of Mr. Samuel ’ t m Jenkins, in our Proprietor John Penn s le ter to the Co pany,

- to show them the use of the air pump sent by him, as in the

Mr. en foregoing minutes, did this day invite Jenkins to an nment w tertai at the house of Thomas Mullen , together ith the

Mr. r M . . Proprietor Thomas Penn , Freame, Forbes, Capt

Mr. Mr. m . Norris, Grace, Willing and Ja es Hamilton The re- Proprietor being engaged could not be present, but all the w t Directors ith t e other gen lemen , and the Librarian ,

a Mr. Treasurer and Secret ry, dined together at Mullens and ” enjoyed a facetious agreeable conversation . “ in was B. rankl P . H . It Ordered that F , Syng and Roberts s re get a frame and ca e made, with glass lights in the door to ceive air- m and preserve the pu p with its appendages, and to

a . Thl s look ornament l in the Library room case still stands, - it with the remains of the air pump in , an ornament to the Library room and a rare specimen of the hand carving and [8] Case made to co n tain the air pu m p prese n ted by the

hn n n in 1 38 . Ho n . o e 7 J P , wood work of the eriod . The meetings of the Directors i s an d were at this t me hel at the house of John Robert , after wards for years at the house of his Widow. The annual meet r ings were at the Lib ary Room . “ 1 2th 1 739 At November , , a monthly meeting at (the

. s m widow of)John Roberts . there wa so e discourse con cerning moving our books and air- pump in a short time from ’ fﬁ Wm . 3 o ces Parson house, to a room in one of the vacant belo ngin to the State House ; the use of which was lately ran te ti e m A g d Co pany by the ssembly, upon a petition of the b B Frank11n Directors, drawn up y . On 7th A 1 740 the of pril , , the books were removed to “ the upper room of the westernmost ofﬁ ce of the State ” House . “ A 1 3th 1 74 1 At t pril , , a mon hly meeting at the Widow

. a A . . Roberts, the Committee p ointed last ugust to k e so ma e a catalogue . . report that t y have done ; where upon it is agreed that two hundred of them shall be printed Frankl n by B. 1

1 2th 1 74 1 . October , the Directors present discours ing together concerning the Charter lately granted to the a Library Company by our Propriet ries, and signed by George ’ r Thomas, Lieut. Gov , with the Great Seal of the Province afﬁ xed , came to an opinion that the Directors present should

1t . . . shew to members of the Company and get them ’ to subscribe their names. 10th 1 742 s In the Minutes of the of May, , appear the l “ fol owing, The Directors then went to the Widow Roberts w m i ” to sup, here they re embered the r benefactors . 1 746 rankl l n In Benjamin F printed the Charter, the Laws,

and a Catalogu e of all the books added since 1 74 1 . “ O n 1 3 1 7 52 i s A the th of November, , noted noble pres

a Mr. a ent of antient med ls, from Grey, Member of P rliament ” for Colchester. m 1 746 The Widow Roberts no longer appears, but , the meetings seem to have been at the Widow Breintnals in 1 749 ’ s at the Widow Pratt s ; in 1 7 57 at the Widow Biddle . rank hn Dr . F acted as agent for the Library in London 1 760 1 7 5 from October, till 7 10th 1 762 May , , John Dickinson , the author of the ” “ 3 . . m Farmers Letters applied . to be ad itted a member [9] of the Library Com any; to which the Directors present ’P m ] unani ous agreed . “ er 1 h Mr t 1 762 . Novem 2 , , Byrnes complained that he had provided a su pper for the last meeting and nobody came ’ but the Sec y, it was agreed that for the future every absentee ﬁne wh1ch should pay a of one shilling for his absence, should ” o m g to the house as a reco pense . 1 3 1 763 “ June th , , The Secretary reported that the Widow Biddle had declined keeping a public house any longer upon which the Directors agreed to meet for the ‘ ’ r in future at the Indian Q ueen , and desired the Secreta y to ” form the keeper of the said Inn of their intention . 14 1 767 “ December th, The Secretary reported that

Mr. m t Benja in West, formerly of this ci y but now of London , w historical painter, had presented to the Company ith his ’ ’ respectful comp l t a woman s hand taken from an Egyptian

i . mummy, in good preservat on “ ebruar 13 1 769 m m F y th, , a Com ittee fro the Union t Librar in this ci y, waited on the Board of Directors and ex h ‘ prest t emselves to the following purpose, That having been 1n form ed that a union between theirs and the Philadelphia Library Company might take place The Union Library Company (so far as the Committee had collected their sent1 ments), were Willing and desirous to unite on the following ’ viz t— terms, That they would resign their own charter and name and join themselves under the Charter and name of the a u Libr ry Compa of Philadelphia, and deliver up and make over and assign all their estate and property as a company to become members of one and the same body corporate A h 1 A r 6t 76 . agreed to pril , 9 The ssociation Libra y which had been merged in the Union Library some time before , in this way became a part of the Library Company. A Minute of November 1 3th 1 769 shows that another Library had been absorbed an order was drawn upon

James Pearson for the Minute books, accompt books, etc . that remain in his hands belonging to the late Amicable ” r Libra y Company. “ 4th 1 770 May , , Josiah Hewes reports that he has not ’ a lett the Compan s house in Third St. as no one had p lied ” y it a hion to rent . Th1s house w s formerly occupied by the J a Libr ry . [1 0]

“ 24th 1 77 1 r une , , The members of the Libra y Company of ~ « hiladell hia are desired to meet at their Library Room at Hbuse 2nd the State on Monday, the 2 day of July next to consider the expediency of purchasing a lot and building a house for the use of the Compau at a second meeting held October 5th, it was decided t at it was expedient to build a new Library Room and that the Directors, should apply to the Assembly for I art of the State House square . In the “ following April the IDirectors report that the Assembly have declined granting the Company liberty of erecting a library on ” the State House s uare . 8t 1773 the December 2 , xtract from a letter from E “ ranklin l s Library Company to Dr. F since our a t the Library has been removed to a new building called the Carpenter’ s ’ riends Hall, in the centre of the square in which F School stands, the books (enclosed within wire lattices) are kept in one large room and in another handsome a artment the ap ” a an a par tus is deposited d the Directors meet . he Libr ry was ’

M. now kept open from 2 until 7 o clock P . On 3 l st A 1 774 the of ugust, , it was upon motion ordered that the Librarian fu rmsh the gentlemen who are sent to meet in t Congress in this Ci y, with such books as they may have

thel r a i . occasion for during sitting, t k ng a receipt for them It might be well to note here that the same courtesy was shown 1 7 1 in January, 9 when Congress again sat in this City, on the “ latter occasion a letter of thanks was received beginning In obedience to the commands of the President of the United ” “ ” States and signed Tobias Lear, Secretary. The members of the Legislature of Pennsylvania likewise enjoyed the use of the books for a long period free of charge. “ 7th 1 776 adver May , , The Board direct the following tisement n z be inserted in the Pen sylvania Ga ette, Journal, ’ — er viz . Packet, Led and Evenin Post, The members of the Library ompany of Philadelphia are requested to attend at the Lib room on Thursday the thirtieth of May inst. ’ o cloc l n at two in the afternoon , order to consider the pro priety of empowering the Directors to remove the books an d eﬁects of the Company and determine on the place where they shall be deposited 1 n case any future event should render that ” a measure necess ry. A meeting was held May 3oth and another June 6th but no business was done and the books were allowed to rem a i n

and nothin happened to disturb them . A an l h i a fter t e battle of Trenton d Princeton, Phi adelp filled r a t a was with soldie s, and there was much sickness ; ’ “ a h 1 1th 1 777 ess r s . meeting of the Directors M rc , , M Al es w ai t ison , Jon and Hewes are appointed a Committee to a Officer o e r on General G tes, Commanding in this city, in rd to rocure if ossible an order for the removal of the s i ck d ” sol iers from t e Library. The Secretary is ordered to insert the following adverti s e P o z s t . ment in the Pennsylvania Ga ette, Packet and vening “ E The Members of the Library Company of Philadelp h ia are hereby notified that books may be procu red from the sa id Library by a plication at the house of the Librarian on th e arket t F ee south side of S reet, four doors below ourth Str t, between the hours of five and seven in the afternoon of every day and leaving a signed note for such books as they m ay n bem respectively wa t. The lower part of the Library g at an infirmar s present used as y for the sick soldiery, render it mconvctnient for the Librarian to attend at the L1brary Roo m as usual The British army had possession of Philadelphia from 26th 1 777 1 8th 1 778 but a September , , to June , , the Libr ry u e does not appear to have s fier d any inconvenience . The officers it British who made use of , left deposits and paid hire for the books they borrowed, just as any one, not a member, would be expected to do . At A 12th 1777 a meeting of the Directors held ugust , , An an extract from the will of the Honorable William Lo ,

Es r. t ich q , late of this Ci y, was laid before the Board, by w it appears that he had bequeathed to the Librar Company a had very considerable collection of ancient authors, w ich been a accordingly delivered to the Libr rian . “ 1 778 The In November, , the following minute occurs, ﬁrewood Directors taking into consideration the high prices of ,

&c. the candles, , agreed that the Library be opened during inter months only upon Wednesday and Satu rday from two w ” ll e1 h ti g t. “ Ma 4th 1 78 1 n y , , The Directors agree that thirty shilli gs, a s hi h St te money, be received in lieu of a ba ket of wheat, by w c ” annnal the payments were last year directed to be made. [12]

un 10th 1 783 the ec rs se J e , , Dir to nt to London a list of o d i tan two bo ks wante , together w th a remit ce of hundred ng in payment ; this was the first money sent to 1 774 e . the Librarian was removed for his inattention to s his the dutie of othee . In the same year another efl ort was made to obtain from the Assembly a lot for a library building in the State House s a w r u qu re, but ith no g eater s ccess than on the former occas1on . “ D m e 7th 1 786 An was r s d ece b r , , account p e ente from u K aighn for two boxes of tallow candles for the use of the Bt1 1 82 first 1 78 n the of une, 9, at a ge eral meeting of the Com an a a p Bishop hite acting as chairm n , a law was p ssed iving t e Directors power to carry out the project of a new guildmg as soon as one hundred new members should be added

11st. to the This number having been obtained, all but nine N d teen, a lot was purchased from Mary orris, and a lot a join in an w ifth t from George Logan d Deborah his ife, in F s reet he%ow e Chestnut, part of th ground upon which the Drexel

an . l Building now st ds, and a building designed by Dr Wil iam

Thornton was erected. “ . 3d r ﬁrst Sept , The Building Committee repo ted that the stone of the ediﬁce was laid on the 3 1 st of August last ; that ' Ben amin ranklin upon the suggestion of Dr. F a large stone was prepared and laid at the sout west corner of the building h ll osed wit the fo owing inscription, com by the Doctor, ex as l cept so far relates to himse f, w ich the Committee have taken the liberty of adding to it :

Be it remembered the " In honor of Philadelphian outh , (Then chieﬂy art1ﬁcers That in MDCCX X X r They chee fully, at the instance of Benjamin Fran klin

one of their number, Instituted the Philadelphia Library ; ’ a first which tho sm ll at , 8: become highly valuable extensively useful, And which the Walls of this Edifice are now destined to contain and preserve ; first ou n ation The Stone of whose F d , was here placed first A An The thirty Da of ugust, no Domini MD CLX X X IX Information was given that “William Bingham having s heard of the intention of the Director , to erect a statue of Franklin n white marble, of Doctor , as the fou der of the

Library, in a niche in the front of the building, was willing to furnish it at his own expense . This statue is now over the front door of the Locust street bu ildin B 30th 1 790 re y the of December, , t e books were all r moved and ready for delive y, when it was resolved to have ’ the rooms open daily, from one o clock to sunset. 1 792 In , the Library Company, by an act of the Legisla o anian ture, became the Trustees of the L g Library, and an addition was made to the building to accommodate the books. This valuable collection owes its origin to the Honourable conﬁdential mes Logan , the friend and counsellor of William {" ‘ enn , and for some time President of the Council . Its foundation consists of a portion of his private library, which t having collected at a considerable rouble and ex ense, he was anxious should be of use after his death and a help to others ' had u t as it been to him . With this c h eet in view he p up a t alnut h1s small building in Sixth S reet near , where books, some two thousand in number, might be safely housed ; and by deed vested them the books and certain rents, for the pur pose of increasing their number and paying a librarian) in u Tr stees, for the use of the public forever . This deed he afterwards cancelled, and prepared, but did not live to execute, another in which some alteration was made in the funds and

u . ll d 2 5th 1 749 reg lations His wi , however, ated March , , z u his a recogni ed the intention of the tr st, and children, c rried eﬁ ect 5th 1 760 into this intention, by deed of 2 of March, , by a which the building, books, etc . , were conveyed to Isr el Pem r be ton and others, in trust for the purposes of a public library, and it was therein provided that certain of the descendants of James Logan should always be among the trustees . With Fou n er l the idea of carrying out the wishes of the d , Wi liam

a i n Log n, his eldest son, was appointed l braria and served until

1 776 . his death, The following announcement was made in the Pennsylvania “ u 23 rd 1 760: Jo rnal for October , Notice is hereby given LOGAN IAN I BRA R" that the L , founded by the late James

Logan, Esq . , deceased, for the use of the public, situated on n on Sixth Street between Chestnut and Wal ut Streets, beyond the State- S a . House u re, will be open on Saturday, the eighth of N ovember l next, w ere attendance wi l be given every Satur day from the third hour in the afternoon until the seventh ma hour following in the Summer time, and so long as one y see ” to read in the Winter, by Lewis Weiss. Soon after there was “ u blished 1 1 6 a Catalo us a page oct vo, entitled, g Bibliothecae {ogan iae : being a Choice Coll ection of Books as well in the S Oriental, Greek and Latin as in English, Italian, anish,

French, and other Languages. Given b the late James ogan , l u Esq. , of Phi adelphia, for the use of the blick . Numbered as they now stand in the Library Built b him in Sixth Street - l u hilade hia. over against the State House Sq are, p Printed t by Pe er Miller 8: Comp . in the year After the death of William Logan in 1 776 the Library re

s . 1 782 mained closed for a number of year In it was suggested, 1 792 and in the suggestion was carried out, that the Library

Company should become Trustees. The following report was F u 2 5th 1 792 read at a meeting of the Library Board, ebr , “ That application should be made to the Legis ature for a law to unite the Logan ian Library to the Library belonging to the Philadel Library Company of hia, so as to retain , as much as be ll : may , the principles origina y intended by James Logan that the books shall be received into one of the apartments of Philadel the hia Library, or a commodious room prepared n m - contiguous t ereto, on reaso able ter s ; the said books and others hereafter to be acquired by the Loganian Lib to be and remain distinct and apart from the books of tmibrary Company of Philadelphia ; -that the Directors of the said r l Libra y Company of Philade phia, from time to time chosen , together with James Logan, the surviving son of James

Logan , the Donor, and two associates whom he may choose, shall form a Board of Tru stees for the conducting and manag ff Lo an ian ing the a airs of the said g Library, and that his sucessor s r and successor , in the order and manner presc ibed by the Deed [1 5] all es of Trust, shall, in future time, form one of the said Truste , s with power to nominate two associate trustees, or in ca e of i i the lace death or resi nation to supply, from t me to t me, or ’Q places of suc associate trustee, so dying or resigning. Act As 3 l st 1 79 The of sembly approved the of March, 2, “ o provides for continuing a succession of trustees, comp sed a of the descendents of the said James Log n, the elder, or of persons appointed by such descendants . At th1s time ( 19 1 2) the LO anian collection consists of ﬁfteen wi ich are some thousand volumes, kept at the Ridgway

n t . Bra ch, Broad and Christian S reets 1 793 l r In the price of shares was raised to forty dol a s, the 7 7 1 7 . a 1 9 98 1 799 present price For three successive ye rs, , , , the Autumn meeting of the Directors was not held owing to v the epidemic of yellow fe er. “ N ovember 1 7 7 , 9 the Secretary was directed to present to n a a the President of the U ited States, a handsome bound c t Philadel logue of the books belonging to the hia Library, and to ofi er him the use of them during his official residence in this city . A 1 799 In pril, , Henry Cox of Ireland resented a large number of manuscript volumes relating to t e history of his — native cou ntry z the later history of these manuscripts is a : A 1 866 r ther curious in the utumn of , the attention of the t r Direc o s was called to them, and an examination made it evident that they were part of the National Ar chives of Great official Britain . They consisted of correspondence relating to K Ireland, man of the letters bearing the sign manual of ing

James I . T e Directors considering that there was an eminent propriety in the manuscripts bein restored to the British u a cﬁer Government as a portion of their p lic rchives, an was f l o ll . cﬁer made to Lord Romi ly, the Master the Ro s The was gratefully accepted and the Lord Commissioners as some u a ret rn , presented to the Library a set of the public tions of s n the Ma ter of the Rolls, at the present time over four hu dred

volumes and still growing, and believed to be the most com lete Am 1 8 7 en ca. 9 r p set in In , the return to this count y of “ the manuscript volume, known as the Log of the May ” ﬂower , under a decision of the Court in London , led to an a 26th 1 8 7 editori l in the London Times of the of March 9 , — “ which says The precedent of the Library Company of [1 6]

h la h ust re er has P i delp ia j f red to, unquestionably played a con siderable part in determining the action of the Consistory Court. In 1 804 the Library received a b n est of one thousand pounds from John Bleak] and from r. Samuel Preston a

r a 0 . . ve y v luable collection books Dr Preston , an English had ra fn end man , only heard of the Lib ry Company from his , Benjamin West, the artist, but became so interested in the Inst1tution that he remembered it liberally in his will . Mrs .

West gave the Library a ortrait of Dr. Preston painted by her p “ u a m mute a h sband. There is th t in the same year Congress ’ ”

t . refused to remit he duties on Dr. Preston s legacy of books 1 808 m F In , per ission was given to the Pennsylvania ire Company to build on the northwest corner of the Library a n y rd, and the Fame Hose Compa y appear to have had the same privilege for which later they returned thanks. “ A 5 1 8 4 ar ugust th , 2 , Resolved that the use of the Libr y ’ F e be ofl ered to General La ay tte. 1 8 9 - In 2 , George Cam bell, who for twenty three years had e ra r y b en Lib rian, esigned, a ing never during that eriod been “ ” p detain ed from the exercise of the duties of h1s position . 6th 1 83 1 Janu , , while a meeting of the Directors was bein g hel in a room next to the Library buildi n there was t an alarm of fire. One of the Directors u his ead out of c - b riend l the window and alled to a passer y, , can thee te l ” “ ’ ’ me where the fire is " It s your darned old building that s ’ a u and . b rnin was the reply, so it was Some valuable books in t e Logan ian L1 brary were destroyed and others in ° ured t a , an original por r it of James Logan and a bust of illiam Penn were also burned, but the loss was much less ht t than mi have been expec ed. Many of the injured e ad 0 11 volum s their backs burned , but were rebound at the

- . fire inated top, opening like a note book The ori in the breastwork of the chimney from a grate recen y fixed in the ’ nian a h s afl e Loga Libr ry, wit the view to the greater afety ord d by a coal fire. In a statement issued by the Directors in regard to the fire — “ the say to the prompt and energetic exertions of the Fire l an an Hose Companies, particu arly the Pennsylvania d the

Fame, whose location enabled them to bring their powerful a a l d p ar tus into a most imme iate action, the preservation of the eﬂ a Lihrary is chi y attribut ble . [17] r t I emember an old gen leman , a member of the Library “ ” Com any and also of the Fame who described with great delig t his Company trai ning their hose over the desk in the “ ”

m o . the iddle of the room, and letting her g N ow r , having given so much time to the older histo y of the Lib it will be necessary to glance more sparingly at the whic later, as a matter of fact, does not seem to contain so

many matters of interest. W ’ . A The following quotation from the Rev J. . lexander s ’ ort " Famil1ar 1 860 F y ears Letters published in , show how it — “ impressed a stran ger The Astor Library is a- going ; but li no brary I have ever seen , not even the Bodleian, has left l such traces on m imagination as the old Phi adelphia, which y ” I want to see agam . 1 864 In , the Library received from the Estate of Joseph ﬁf Fisher about ty thousand dollars . This sum with an ac “ ” cumulation of interest formed a Building Fund, which in 1 8 7 - 80 t s r 9 , enabled the Direc or to put up the present Libra y Al at Locust and Juniper streets . though it is not within the a scope of this rticle to mention the acts of individuals, yet the change to Locust Street was so important and the result so satisfactory ; the advancement in the usefulness of the Institu tion so great that it is but fair to say that this most important r r move was brought about by the labors of M . Hen y Whar

r Mr. S . M . ton , William Henry Rawle, and John Newbold, of the Board of Directors . The inception and successful carrying out of the scheme was very largely owing to the z eal ﬁ e orts Mr. and untiring of Wharton , whom the Library a should ever reg rd as a benefactor.

1 869 . d in In , Dr James Rush ied, and the Directors were

r . Es r. formed by his Executor, Hen y J Williams, q , that the r Libra y was made, on certain conditions, the devisee and a a legatee of his l rge est te, the Executor asked that immediate A steps be taken to ascertain the decision of the Company. l 2 1 8 69 special meeting was ca led June 9, , for the purpose of “ considerin the propriety of accepting the devises and be At quests in t e will of Dr. James Rush . this meeting noth 1 ing was done, but at an adjourned meeting, held October 9th, — the legacy was accepted by three votes the whole number 7 voting being 59 .

w . r eﬁne Under the ill of Dr Rush, ce tain limits were d d, as

r u n to the site of the proposed building for the Libra y, but

tu Mr. am . for nately, the Executor, Willi s, had promised Dr

Rush , almost on his death bed, to build on the lot at Broad

t t . and Chris ian S reets, and felt obliged to abide by this promise The members of the Company did not want the build m to be e ac in such an out of the way spot. Therefore, although t y ce ted p the bequest, they brought suit to compel the Executor l to build within the limits as laid down in the wi l. They lost r V the Cou t supporting the iew of the Executor, who at once n 6th bega the erection of the building, which on the of May, 1 78 Philadel , was handed over to the Library Company of p81l a. 1 8 8 2 ﬁrst In , the Library was opened on Sunday, since thalt time it has been opened every Sunday afternoon after one d o ock. 1 8 84 a ifth In , the old libr ry in F Street was sold to Drexel

Co . and is now occupied by their banking house . The sam e year the Library purchased the Chess Library of A Professor George llen . “ 1 8 8 8 - 9 l a In , Lea Hal , doubling the c paci of the l was Mr. Locust Street bui ding, erected by Henry Lea at fift a cost of y thousand dollars . “ ’ ” The Andre Collection belonging to the late General M e e Com an John eredith R ad, was present d to the Library p m 1 8 8 . h 9 , by his family It comprises a large mirror, whic formed part of the decoration of the Wharton House at the ’ time of the Mischianz a ; p rofiles cut by Major Andre for 1 778 Lullu m E Miss Rebecca Redman in , of Captain atwell of 46th t the Regiment of Foot, and of himself ; a icket for the z a 1 8 1 778 t t Mischian , May th , , with the invita ion wri ten on rofile the back and signed by Sir Henry Calder, p of Major a 1 7th r a e w Edward St nley, of the Light D agoons, ft r ards the r twelfth Earl of Derby, and verses w itten to a German air by ’ h a1 0 r A m 2d j ndre at the request of Miss Red an , January , 1 g'77 A chicfl H . l The nne Brewster co lection , books y relating to

am 1 893 . Italy, c e into the possession of the Library in 1 8 6 a In 9 , the Libr ry received from the estate of the late A r r l G. lbe t Eme ick, a very valuable co lection of books relating

to music .

C. Mr. Henry Lea resigned from the Board of Directors [1 9] 1 0 al l in 9 2, and though he had a ready given the Library u now Compa an addition to their building, he gave them the 1 m of ve thousand dollars to be expended as they thought

12St. w was 1 04 The valuable So er collection given in 9 , among all other rare books are the editions of the Saur Bible, the

ﬁrst to be printed in German in this countr . 1 08 Am al yociet In 9 , the erican Philosophic y resented a medal which had been struck by the order of the ongress of the United States to commemorate the Two Hundredth Anni l ’ ra n vel s of the birth of Benj amin F nkli . Tll' e motto of the Library Company is said not to be s t a cla sical La in , neither is it a quot tion , most likely it was the i “A A ” ran ld n . work of Dr. F In the rticles of ssociation we “ hn d i , That for d stinction sake, the subscribers in the Company aforesaid now and hereafter at all times are an d shall be called n i The Library Compa y of Ph ladelphia, and shall have a v common seal, with this de ice, two books open, each com ’ pass d with glo or beams of light, between which water streaming from a ove into an urn below, thence issues at many vents into lesser urns, and motto circumscribing the whole, ‘ ’ Commu niter rofu n dere t bona deum est, which freely rans “ p lat d d1$tribute means, To good things is an attribute of the goei ﬁn 1 1 We d in the annual report of the Library, May, 9 2, Lo anian that the total number of books, including the g and t - the Ridgway, is two hundred and thir y seven thousand, six

- hundred and seventy seven . The books are about equally divided between the building at the northwest corner of Locust R r and Juniper, and the idgway Branch at Broad and Ch istian has s . r 0 Street The Libra y 9 9 members and many subscribers .

I entered the services of the Library Company on the 24th

1 863 r t t . of June, , a sho t ime before the battle of Get ysburg

I was not quite sixteen and entirely ignorant of library work, which at that time was not thought, as it is now, to require any al r speci training, and did not ank as a science as it does at the As un present time. a matter of fact those who had been - an d successful in other pursuits, broken down clergymen ,

ofﬁce. others, were considered eligible for this This did not [20]

Mr P . was re . apply to my p ceptor, Lloyd Smith, who by an d r nature education a scholar, a eading man , and somewhat t r an d of a writer. His fa her had been a librarian befo e him, 1 849 he himself had had charge of the Lib since , and - r r therefore was well equi ped for his post. he Libra y fo ce

t Mr. s r consis ed of Smit my elf, and an old colo ed woman , tt tt clean in A t Margaret Gibbs, the la er a ending to the f er I had been at work for a few days, the invasion of t e State by A all the Confederate rmy caused much alarm, and who were ° able oined the various companies of Home Guards and left

s i A Mr. for t e cene of hostil ties. mong them went Smith i with the Germantown Com any. The L brary was closed for e l a w ek, and I on the insi e cou d hear the remarks of dis contented members, as they turned from the closed doors . At am the end of the week, the father of the Librarian , c e to

fill . town to to the lace of his son , not yet returned The ° ha brar a father not tried y work for years, and I was lmost an d t useless, as I look back, I pi y the poor people who tried ar ortunatel to use the Libr y at that time . F y they were not a large number, the men most of them in the army, and the a efi orts find women too anxious to re d. My to the books t r asked for, were so s renuous that many nights I had ho rible dreams of lookin on the shelves for books and not being able fin w i hhten e d . o ever stra d to them , in time things were g all l out and went most smooth y. During the war we had a map arranged with colored pins

to show the positions of the arm1es. The pins were altered from time to time and every day old gentlemen would come war All in to read the news and compare it with the map . of r our visito s were not on the Union side, and some were what “ ” c in those days they called Copperheads. In fa t we were in atrl otic i r us e rather a non posit on , to the no th of , in Ch stnut “ ” Street below ifth was the ofﬁce of the Age a Democratic i aper, at that t me supposed to be more in sympathy with the gouth r V than the No th . Its rear was in full iew from our side l t windows and at times it wou d be very exciting, and frequen ly r e W1th upon the news of Union evers s, a mob would form the “ ” “ ” avowed intention of tearing out the Age. This they l s never did, not even on the day fo lowing the assa sination of

Mr. t am Lincoln, one of the most exci ing and at the s e time

melancholy days we have ever had . [21 ] t run fla It was my du y to the g up on occasions, this was ri t d rather pe lous, as I had to s rad le the peak of the roof ; the day after the assassination we were so flurried that we forgot to fla put up our g, however we were soon reminded of the omission by the cries of the people in the street. I hurried r t be up the narrow stai s to the lof and the roof, crept out and fla r i gan to hoist the g, but in a sho t t me was almost scared to “ ” death b hearin cries from the street of put that flag ri ht ; h ad ai it al s In my aste I r sed , not at h f ma t, but wit the l l . Union down . It was quick y changed, you may wel believe Feeli n gs were so strong in those days that one had to be care ful not to arouse them . At i the t me of the Sanitary Fair held in Logan Square, in 1 864 i r fu rn i , the L brary cont ibuted its old clocks, books and ture .

P . Mr. Lloyd Smith carried the Library through a most trying time during the four years of the Civil War with such r t admi able skill that I feel some note should be made of i . It was a time when our eople were living at a high tension and were not giving muc tun e to reading nor to the support of

e . librari s Money was scarce and prices high , and the problem at the Library was how to make both ends meet. This prob lem Mr. Smith solved ; with economy in one direction and e what seemed almost extravagance in the oth r, he managed in t s ite of the hard times, to buy the best publica ions of the da am t y, and I of en struck with the fact when I have had occasion to use books of that period, that the Librarian of the “ ” war time had purchas ed wisely under very unusual circum stances . The novels most in demand at this time were those of

. a Mrs Henry Wood, Miss Braddon , Miss Broughton , Ch rles k LeFan u Reade , Wil ie Collins, and others, almost unknown to our present readers . There was some curious superstitions among the people of the neighborhood ; one being that at midnight the statue of Benjamin Fran klin over the front door am ﬁre lu c e down , sat on the p g in front of the building and drank a mug of beer. Our colored cleaner was quite sure that from tun e to time she saw an old gentleman m knee c al breeches and co ked hat, wandering around the g leries, and on one occasion she declared he struck her niece who was o helping her, with a cane, so that the poor girl had to g to [22] saw bed. For my own part, the only spirits I there were the rum and peach brandy used in making the Fish - house punch which we always had after our annu al meetings and elections 1 in May. Th s was the one day of the year we were sure of being popular ; not only did our members come but they ’ brought man friends and relations an d the lawyer s ofﬁces in h r the neighbor ood contributed their quota. Ce tain persons r i not unde stand ng the power of Fish House punch , some

times took a little too much . This did not seem out of the Fifth t way in quiet old S reet, of a late afternoon in those days, t t but when ried in the Locust s reet building, it was found after the second year that we must “ cut it out ” —the sun was

too bright, the streets too full of people . The result was that we had to make up in proxies for those who did not come (the main inducement being removed) and now on election ﬁve day some or six people attend , the rest being represented

by roxies . g roﬁle remember that for many years a p of George II , rv together with a crown , both ca ed in wood and painted white, Fif hun in the th street building. These had originally been

on t e Second street wall of Christ Church . They were there 1 7 6 before and through the Revolution , but in 9 , they were torn

V . down by order of one of the estry, and thrown in the gutter Zachen s Collins rescued them from this position and carried e th m to the Library, of which he was a member, where they 1 87 remained until 2, when they were given back to Christ i Church , and can be seen now in their old posit on over the

eastern window of that church . all Like libraries we have our stories, repeated so often , al that we believe them ourselves, but I sh l be merciful in only Fifth e it relating one or two . We had in the str et building, ( is now at the Rid ayBranch) a colossal bust of Minerva which ’ formerly stood ehmd the Speaker s chair of the ﬁrst Congress was t that sat in Philadelphia. It made of terra co ta and six feet t am in hei h . One day a respectable colored servant c e to “ "” Li : Mr. the rary, and looking up said Smith, what is that “ ” “ a Mr. That, S mmy, said Smith, is Minerva, the goddess ” “ bi of wisdom . Sammy with awe said, Was she as as ” Mr whic that " To have heard . Smith repeat this story , he

did many times, and to have heard him laugh, was something

to remember. [23] A man on one occasion wanted a book containing all the

information of the Library in one volume. Some one as ked “ ” s e tur . for a book under the title, Pa t, Pr sent and Fu e She “ ” " - orever wanted, esterday, To da and F . ° ﬁrst brar When I came, the y hours were from ten until sunset ; this made a long day in summer. The cataloguing

Mr. u nt1l was done by Smith, and later by me, and it was not

1 8 2 a . 9 that we had a regular c taloguer The Library force,

- 1 863 1 1 t . three in , is now ( 9 2 ) twen y two Q ueer people from time to time have made a practice of

the . art1 cular coming to Library I remember two in p , one was as am r known the old Swede ; he c e eve y day for years, k kept pen and ink in the John Dic inson reading desk, and a all t appe red to be taking notes, day busil writing, but s range l rare sk . to say, a ing for a book Fin y he came no more, Igickinson en and in the desk was found only an old p , some r n othm dried ink, and a roll of manusc ipt meaning g. The was a - a other enigma a very t ll, thin, pale faced man, lways r t dressed in shabb black, with a long crape sca f s reaming from e his rusty hat. hi never s oke to any one but we thou ht “ g the weeper on his hat ad more to do with his p oht1cal ’ ee m h1s e 13 f l g and was worn for country s wo s . It certain it w Mr As as longer after the death of . Lincoln . time went l on he grew thinner and thinner, and at times smelt stron y of assafoetida which it is supposed he took in lace of foo It was reported from outside sources that he ad been seen pre n o ari g to g to bed on a stall in the Spring Garden market. gr0 He one knew him, nor of him. was certainly very poor,

and in time he faded away. — “ The old rule of the Library A ny civil person to use the books is very little abused . It is customary to as k a per . . 1e If son to leave if they have to be awakened tw e, or any “ ” rr1 n evidence of Pulex 1 ta s is observed .

A few of the rare books and collections in the Library

Biblia Sa cra Swe n heim P an nartz ﬁrst , printed b y and , the rinters 147 1 Historic N a tura le at Rome, ; liny, , on vellum, V 1476 l a tin Vul a te r i y Jenson, enice, ; g , Ch istopher Plant n , A w r 1 583 Illumina ted Choi r Boole 1400 nt e p, ; on vellum, about ; ’ a 3 Golden l z md 1483 The Remile o the Histori es o C xton g , ; f f Tro e 1 553 y , printed by William Copeland, , the bookplate [24] “ r tells us that this was part of the libra y of William Byrd, of ’ Vir 1 n ia r A ustinus Liber de Vita Westover, in g , ; uggu h tina and ﬁ er about 1 4 59 ssher C m , printed by Fust Schoy , , F th Seven P enitentia l P sa lms W n k n on e , printed by y y de orde,

1 508 u Su er . . Sentenia rum London, ; Johannes Duns Scot s, ,

V an d o . en de Gherretz em enice, John de Cologne Mant , 1477 Illumina ted ma nuscri ts eures° Gothi ues ; p ; q , on vellum, by n hoine Verard l et n n l A t , Gi let Germain Hardo y , Gui laume ’

1 503 1 51 0 3 I ndia n Bible. All Hardouin , Paris, ; Eliot the ’

Sa ar ible Ca to M a or . editions of the B ; Cicero s j , Phila , printed k n 44 : Cam an ius B. Fran l1 1 7 and sold by , Thomas p Holm, Kort Beshflfiz ing om P rovincia l uti America ' ’ P a m; I‘va ma 1 702 Kin ames Ver , Stockholm, ; g " sion n 1 6 1 1 En lish Bible t 1 539 , ondo , ; g Graf on m ; ’ Statha m 5 Abrid ment r P nson 1 503 g , p inted b y , ; Sa cred Trea tzse on the Archa n el Micha el m m g Ethiopic, anu r Illuminated ma h aseri t o the sc ipt, highly colored pictures ; p f ’ 15th centre Re uiem Ma ss N ew Albion 1 648 , q ; Plantagenet s , ; ' ’ Tm l o So diers m Hit Mea est 1° 2 9th Re :ment o Foot f y g f , for the u s A ll l n murder of Crisp ttic s (and others, ki ed what was “ ” ’ s 1 770 Whitefield known as the Boston Ma sacre Boston , ; s

Va a e rom London to Gibra lta r B. Fran klm 1 740 g f , rinted by , ; ' p’ Ahn d ment o the Ga rdener 1" Dictiona r b T e g f y y Miller, with ’ ’ General Washington s book late and signature ; Bradford s ' America n Mercury 1 7 1 9 1 74 5: P ermsylw ma Ga z ette ( Frank ’ 1 72 8 1 804 P enns lva nia P a e/eet P oul lin s paper), ; y , afterwards ’ ’ son Ad e s 1 77 1 ° eschr ibun on P er m 5 v rti er . B e w , , etc Pastorius g s lw nia ran kfu rt 1 704 A Broa dside: o y , ; large collection of f “ F the Enem in Philadel hia 1 777- 1 778 A la , ; large lot of p y of ea r y thea tres m hila delp hia ° and a chess collection said ﬁfth m n to be the importa ce in the world .

A mon our valuable possessions, aside from the books, n aintin portraits, sts, clocks, and etc. we have an oil g t t some eight feet long, in the ves ibule , enti led, South ” t East Prospect of the Ci y of Philadelphia, by Peter Cooper, ainter 13 m 1 720 p n It supposed to have been painted , and is 1 nteresting as showing the houses on the water front with the ’ 3 names of the owners . It was found m a second hand dealer

1n M . shop London by the Hon . Georgge Dallas and by him a A ar given to the Libr ry. nother l ge picture hangs on the [25] gallery and has been called a prophetic picture . It rep e rt distributi n in resents the Godd ss of Libe y, wisdom and A structin g the blacks. close examination s ows that her arm rests on the Catalogue of the Library Company of P hiladel n hia. It was the gift and work of one Samuel Jenni gs of pondon . ’ We have John Dickinson s reading desk and the Heraldic Hatchment used at his fu neral in 1 808 ; a desk used by Penn at his manor on the Delaware ; the machine used by Frank ﬁrs O n r lin in making his t electrical experiments . the no th n s - wall of the buildi g, out ide , may be seen the corner stone of t 1 8 8 8 r the Fifth S reet building, removed in , and on the no th al ll w l, inside, wi be found an old clock, made by John Child

1 83 ﬁre. in 2, to replace one destroyed in the This Child r r clock, as I remember it in my early days at the Libra y, st uck an alarm at sunset, which was then the hour for closing ; and this would seem to be an appropriate place for me to bring this short sketch to an end . DIRECTO RS AN D O FFICERS or LIBRAR" CO MPAN" OF PHILADELPHIA

i n Ph lip Sy g,

n amin ran lin Be j F k ,

o ert G race R b , T omas o fre h G d y, n saac en ngto , I P i Franci A son s , o n ones lli J h J , Ant on icholas saac asc all h y N , I P h , ar es T omson C l , i am arsons h h W lli P , o n c nson J h Di ki , T om as o nson ar en h H pki , Edw d Shipp , aco oema er J b Sh k , ose h ims J p S , T omas a w a a er C d l d , aco ew s h J b L i , ose Sw ft J ph i , an el un le D i R d , ug o erts, H h R b c olas ain Ni h W , enr ratt T omas Miﬂ in H y P , h , o n c o as, J h Ni h l o K i J hn a g n , am Mau rid e h Willi g g , am a e os i a ewes Willi R wl , J h H , ose asc a J P ll, i am o eman ph h W lli C l , c ae e as Mi h l Hill g , r anc s ic ar son n sa oats F i R h d , Li d y C , am P lumsted o n orton Willi , J h M , av vans D id E , van or an E M g , o ert Strettell ones R b J , ar es in o n r n er Ch l Will g, J h D i k , A ex an er ra on o ert Tuclmiss l d G yd , R b , at ew a r son M h Cl k , ames e J Biddl , am ett e Willi B l , am oore Willi M , r ancis o i nson F H , amue oa s pk S l Rh d , ar e an Sh p D l y, srae em erton ose ar er I l P b , J ph P k , neas on P enez et Phi B d hilip B , e nol K een R y d , z e e ar s E ki l Edw d ,

or eca ew s M d i L i , aco uc é ose tans ur J b D h , J ph S b y, s aac artram I B ,

en am n oultne 13113 B j i P y,

nfor ar ner Ly d L d ,

SECRETARIES

i l R Mor an ose B r en tna l en amin . J ph , B j g , en amin ran n i i am a e B j F kli , W ll R wl , ranci s A son eor e am e l F lli , G g C pb l , r anci s o inson am E. i tman F H pk , Willi Wh ,

ohn u es r. Wm. enr a e J H gh , J , H y R wl , o n De Maure nault eor e arrison isher J h g , G g H F , am Attmore O en ster Willi , w Wi , A n rew o eson o n a w al a er r. d R b , J h C d d , J ,

o n otts r . orace ow ar um e” J h P , J , H H d F , oae h awoett r J p F , J ,

amue Sit reaves ames P . utchinson S l g , J H , i am a e Will R wl , LIBRARIANS

ou s T mot ee amue Lobdill L i i h , S l , en ami n ran in o n To B j F kl , J h dd, am a rsons ern ar enris Willi P , B d F , o ert reen a ose Ft weett R b G w y, J ph , o n ar s ohn Todd r . J h Edw d , J , J , ranci s o nson Zac ari ah ou son F H pki , h P l , ames o n ston eor e am e J J h , G g C pb ll, Ludow ic S ro le ohn a mit p g , J J y S h, D Ma r a l o n e u e n u t o P . m t J h g , Ll yd S i h,

i am Attmore ames G . B am w ell W lli , J , a r es st eor e aur ce A ot Ch l Ci , G g M i bb , ranc s D a mon F i y ,

The corner stone of the old ui in at ift and rar treets c now b ld g F h Lib y S , whi h 111 the north wall of the Locust Street Library ha s the following names on i t en amin s osi ah ewes B j Gibb , J H , o n K a n or eca e s J h igh , M d i L wi , T omas orris T omas ar e h M , h P k , ose asc a ] en am n ou tne J ph P h l , B j i P l y, c ar e s c ar istar Ri h d W ll , Ri h d W , n a th t ti bei g t a me Directors.

amue oates Treasurer. S l C , am a e r r Willi R wl Sec eta y. Zac ar a oulson unior ra h i h P , J , Lib n an .