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.
70/99
![cnllo<l tlie latter an octavo, wliicli was tho size of tlie “ iMnnoirs'' Tliat any man could imagine that \ wanted the Memoirs in octavo, when 1 had written for the History, which was a folio, and when the Press- mark showed him that the book I required was on the shelf aj^propriated to folios, seems incredible ; but this is not all. It was absolutely impossible that I could have meant the J\femoirs, not only because I had written expressly for the History, and had re- ferred to tho History by the Press-mark, but because the Title of the Memoirs is caneelled in the Catalogue in the Reading-room,—a fact which it did not suit Mr. Panizzi to state. It is said, moreover, that in the Catalogue used in the Library, tho Memoirs have no Press-mai'k wliatever ;*—so much for Press- marks identifying every work in the Museum! Mr. Panizzi’s special pleading about “ 1703 and 1704,” “octavos and folios,” “History” and “Me- moirs,” therefore avails him nothing; but it con- cerns tho Public much, for it shows the character of tho individual on whom literary men are de- pendent, the petty obstacles by which their re- searches may be impeded, and the shutlling ex- cuses by which their complaints will be met. It is the paramount duty of a Librarian to assist the Readers by every means in his j)ower, to inter- pret their wishes when obscurely expressed, and to give them the benefit of his knowledge of the Librarj under his charge; but it is Mr. Panizzi’s avowed principle to exact from them, when filling u]) the tickets for books, as much care and atteii-](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b28038988_0070.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
