Animadversions on the library and catalogues of the British Museum. A reply to Mr. Panizzi's statement; and a correspondence with that officer and the Trustees.
- Nicholas Harris Nicolas
- Date:
- 1846
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Animadversions on the library and catalogues of the British Museum. A reply to Mr. Panizzi's statement; and a correspondence with that officer and the Trustees. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.
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![Manuscript Catalogues arc ready for use; tliat the regulations of the Reading-room are expedient; that the j)lan of the Catalogue of the Printed Books is judicious and practical; that the Cata- logue will be ready before 1854, and that when ready it will not be sixteen years in arrear! But if the facts to which we have called public atten- tion are true, then we ask, whether it is not expe- dient that some change should be forthwith made in the system by which the Museum is governed ?* On the 18th of May, two days after the first part of the preceding observations were published, I want- ed to refer to five volumes in the Library at the Mu- seum ; and as one of them was not brought to me after the laj)se of an hour and a half, 1 thought it right to comj)lain of the neglect to Mr. Antonio Panizzi, the Keeper of the Printed Books. It is pro- ])er to observe that the delay in obtaining books has, for a long time past, (so far as my knowledge ex- tends) been generally complained of; and such was the effect of the system on myself, that 1 never con- sulted the Library if 1 could possibly j»rocure the works elsewhere. Nor was 1 singular in this reso- lution. Circumstances had, however, long since convinced me of the uselessness of applying to Mr. Panizzi, or of complaining of ]\Ir. Panizzi’s Department to the Trustees; but as the case in question was one of more than ordinary neglect, and as I had determined * From tlic “ Spectator’’ of the 30th May, 1846.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b28038988_0048.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
