A list of books of reference in the reading room of the British Museum / Printed by order of the Trustees.
- British Museum. Department of Printed Books
- Date:
- 1859
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: A list of books of reference in the reading room of the British Museum / Printed by order of the Trustees. Source: Wellcome Collection.
17/458
![when the author of the “ Curiosities of Literature ” formed one of the select few. But it cannot be denied that at that time they ivere select, which they certainly are not now. The Trustees themselves, until the year 1819, always examined in committee the applications for admission to the reading-room, power having, on the 19 th of June, 1700, been given to the Principal Librarian to grant ad- missions only when a quorum of the Committee did not meet, or between the meetings, in cases of emergency, these admissions being reported at the next meeting. Students were admitted for periods varying from one month to six. It may be of some interest to see to whom this privilege was first accorded. The entry on the Minutes (12th Jan. 1759, three clays before the opening of the Museum) is as follows:—“ The Rev. Dr. Taylor, Residentiary of St. Paul’s, for six months. The Rev. Dr. Lowth, Prebendary of Durham [afterwards Bishop of London], for two months. Daniel Wray, Esq., for six months. Mr. Musgrave, Editor of the Hippolytus of Euripides, for six months. Mr. Stuart, of Grosvenor Street, for six months. Mr. Edward Langton, at the desire of Lord Royston, for six months. The Rev. Dr. Chandler for three months. Taylor White, Esq., for one month; and that the said Mr. White having occasion to make drawings of some specimens of cinnamon and cassia, such books of dryed plants as contain the said specimens be carried to him into the reading-room for that purpose.” The above were followed at short intervals by Dr. Lyttelton, Dean of Exeter, Dr. Jortin, the Rev. Benjamin Kennicott, Dr. Blair, Sir William Blackstone, Lord Dacres, the Earl of Egremont, David Hume, Owen Ruffhead, the Bishop of Norwich, Dr. Nash, Lord Morton, Thomas Gray, and Dr. Johnson. Dr. Johnson was admitted on the re-](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b24868772_0017.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
