MAY 1, 1863. Miss Sewell's "A Glimpse of the World" is one of those tales of which she and Miss Yonge may be said to stand without rivals as authors with the public. They both write with a deep purpose, and a new work from either is sure to meet with a ready welcome. Allan's "Nobly False" was evidently written with a view to the stage, though its true destination is probably the trunk-maker's shop. "The Rival Races, or the Sons of Joel," abstracted from Eugene Sue's interminable "Les Mystères du Peuple," is the most curious novel of the season, and is as unlike every other production of the class of books to which it appertains "as chalk is to cheese." A work of Sue's, judiciously "modified in tone, because the license of French imagination oversteps the confines of English taste," is certain to attract a host of novel-readers. Jefferson's "Live it Down" is the best novel of the month, and next to it stands Miss Drury's "Deep Waters," equal, if not superior, to that lady's Misrepresentation." In SOCIAL SCIENCE there is little new. Mill's "Utilitarianism" is reprinted from Fraser's Magazine; Faucett's "Manual of Political Economy" is based on Mill's; and Macleod's useful" Dictionary of Political Economy, Biographical, Bibliographical, and Practical," is probably destined to become a standard work of reference. Goldwin Smith's "Letters on our Colonial System" have already appeared in the "Daily News." He MR. JOHN FOSTER KIRK, the able and accomplished assistant of Prescott, of whose services that illustrious historian repeatedly made grateful acknowledgment, immediately on the death of his friend and patron, began a work of his own. selected for his subject "Charles the Bold," the hero of Scott's "Quentin Durward,"-a subject both dramatic and important in the highest degree. Mr. Kirk's practised skill and ample resources insure a brilliant and solid production. The second volume is already far advanced, and readers may look for an exciting pleasure at an early day. J. B. Lippincott & Co. will be the publishers. ALGER'S "Critical History of the Doctrine of a Future Life" was announced for publication in 1859, and awakened a good deal of interest, as well from the extent of its programme as from the nature of its subject. Its appearance has been delayed for the completion of a bibliography from the competent hands of Ezra Abbot, Assistant Librarian of Harvard University. The delay proves doubly advantageous, the author availing himself of the opthe work, and his friend adding a contribution which portunity for a careful revision and correction of cannot but prove of immeasurable value to every with any portion of this vast theme. The first part of the work gives a critical history of all the opinions and sentiments which have in various ages and countries entered into the doctrine of a future life. The second part gives a history of the literature of that doctrine, and the discussions to which its component ideas and feelings have given rise. It includes a descriptive catalogue of over five thousand distinct publications, arranged in chronological order, with an index of topics and an alphabetical index of authors. The whole work is now finished, and will be issued during the coming fall. April promises well for the book-trade. Mr. Edward Dicey's "Six Months in the Federal States" is looked forward to with much interest, as are also Mrs. Frances Anne Kemble's "Journal of a Residence on a Georgian Plantation;" Mr. George Fleming's "Summer's Ride on Horseback in Mantelia Tar-scholarly inquirer who shall have occasion to deal tary, beyond the Great Wall of China;" Dr. Mouat's "Adventures and Researches among the Acedamans," and "Two Months Residence in the Confederate States." Colonel Harris's “Reminiscences of By-gone Days" will present a graphic picture of life in British North America. Of works of fiction there will be a full crop. "At Odds," by the author of The Initials, and Quits; Miss Thackeray's "Story of Elizabeth," from the Cornhill Magazine; "A Dark Night's Work," from All the Year Round; more "Chronicles of Carlingford," from Blackwood; a new novel, by Holme Lee, in 3 volumes; Skirmishing," by the author of Cousin Stella; "A Simple Woman, by the author of Nut-Brown Maids; "Arrows in the Dark," by the author of Said and Done; "Lost and Saved," by the Hon. Mrs. Norton; "Heart and Cross," by the author of Margaret Maitland; "Mary Lyndsey," by Lady E. Ponsonby; Church and Chapel," by the author of Owen, a Waif;" Queen Mab," by Julia Kavanagh; "Wayfe Summers," by Thomas Archer, and Pascoe's "The Brigantine, a Story of the Sea." 66 It will be remembered that Mr. Ticknor, after devoting thirty years of labor to the task, published, in three ample volumes, a History of Spanish Literature." The first edition, together with a duplicate edition in England, having been sold, the author has, with a literary conscientiousness and energy that set a signal example for younger authors, so thoroughly revised and rewritten the work as to necessitate the destruction of the stereotype plates and the preparation of an entirely new impression, which will now speedily appear. It will be published by Ticknor & Fields. Of sterner stuff we are looking forward to Maclear's " Missionary History of the Middle Ages;" Riley's translation of two celebrated "London Medieval Chronicles;" Mackey's "The Tübingen MR. PARTON, the author of the well-known bioSchool, an Historical Review of Modern Theology" graphies of Jackson and Burr, has for some years Dr. Croly's "Book of Job," Mr. Greg's Creed been engaged upon a "Life of Benjamin Franklin." of Christendom;" Professor Fitz-Edward Hall's For a few months, however, he has laid aside this "Vishnu-Purana, Hindu Mythology and Tradition;" work, and is now engaged upon a "History of Stephen's "General View of the Criminal Law of New Orleans," which will be published in the course General Butler's Campaign and Administration at England;" Gibson's " Life among Convicts;" The Duke of Manchester's Court and Society from of the summer by Mason & Brothers. Elizabeth to Anne;" "Fifty Years' Biographical Reminiscences, by Lord William Lennox;" Gould's "Islandic Scenes and Sagas;" a second volume of Jeffrey's "British Conchology," and Ansted's "Great Stone Book." JOHN S. HART, LL.D., editor of the "SundaySchool Times," has in press a new work on Sabbathschools. It will discuss the moral, religious, and ecclesiastical relations of Sabbath-schools, the methods suitable for establishing and extending them, the management of Sabbath-schools, and the qualifications of teachers and superintendents. MAY 1, 1863. DR. HOLLAND (Timothy Titcomb) is writing and publishing in his paper, the "Springfield Republican," a series of articles entitled "Letters to the Joneses." They possess all the freshness and originality of his first productions. The illustrated edition of his "Bitter Sweet" was one of the most elegant and successful books of the holiday season. Over one thousand volumes of his works were sold at the last Trade Sale in New York. DR. J. B. THOMAS, the projector and editor of "Lippincott's Pronouncing Gazetteer of the World," has been for several years engaged in the collection of materials for a work of similar fulness in the department of Biography. For this purpose he has spent some three years in travelling on the Continent and in the East. Dr. Thomas's well-known regard for scrupulous accuracy is a sufficient guarantee that his work will be a valuable addition to the biographical department of literature. A useful feature of the work will be its giving the translation of the names of eminent personages into the principal languages of the continent, with the pronunciation carefully indicated. H. T. TUCKERMAN, the accomplished scholar and essayist, has been for some time engaged in revising his various works, and intends bringing out a uniform and complete edition.-Robert Sewell, of New York, is preparing a work on the "Law of Banks and Banking, including the new National Banking Law."-J. R. Dodge, of the Department of Agriculture, Washington, is getting up a book on “ Sheep Husbandry.-C. H. Scribner, of Mount Vernon, Onio, has just completed an elaborate work on the "Law of Dower," in two volumes.-D. D. T. Leech, late of the U. S. Post-Office Department, is engaged on a work on "Military Allowances and Pensions, including Bounty Lands to Soldiers, Seamen, &c."S. F. Dixon, of Cambridge, has ready for the press a new work on "Novation and Delegation," being the second part of his Treatise on "Subrogation.' -Edward Everett is still at work upon his great book on "The Law of Nations."-B. J. Lossing is faithfully working on his " History of the Rebellion," and is accumulating a vast amount of reliable material from all available sources.-Jacob Abbott is about completing a new series of juvenile books, embracing Rollo's Books of Poetry, Books of Science, &c.-G. P. Quackenbos, the author of the popular series of school-books bearing his name, is engaged with Prof. Perkins in getting up a new series of mathematical works.-Prof. Joseph Leidy, of the University of Pennsylvania, has been delivering a course of lectures on Natural History, which his friends are anxious should be published in bookform. THE European agents for Dr. Allibone's Dictionary of Authors remark, in a letter recently received, that they have "innumerable inquiries" respecting the progress of this DICTIONARY; and the American publisher is often written to on the same subject. It is proper, therefore, to state that the author is now, as he has been for years past, busily employed upon the preparation of the second volume,-working the whole of every day (Sundays excepted). But the labor is vast! E.g. of SMITHS alone he has recorded about six hundred and eighty authors, of whom more than eighty bear the prefix JoHN. So it appears that the famous John Smith, who figures so largely in every department of private, social, political, and public life,-who is found at merrymakings, marriages, rows, police-courts, civic processions, and religious observances, occasionally retires from active life and writes and publishes a book. The letter S alone occupied about twenty He two months of the hard work hinted at above. is now in the letter T (as it is necessary to have the book "right to a T"), which, fortunately for the lexicographer, is not so populous (Mrs. Dr. Dodd said that her husband was "the most populous preacher in London") as the letter S. It is to be observed that, so far from confining himself to the limits indicated in his title-page, 1850, he is in many cases bringing his register of Authors and Books to the present date, 1863. Publishers who know to their sorrow how hard it is, and how long it takes, to procure from some authors a few lines of "copy," will not be disposed to think that the author of the CRITICAL DICTIONARY-obliged as he is to register thousands of authors and tens of thousands of books-is justly chargeable with indolence. Boswell tells us that when composing his Life of Dr. Johnson he was sometimes obliged to "run half over London for a date;" and Washington Irving, to whom this remark was once quoted by the writer of these lines, replied (he was then employed on his Life of Washington), 66 Well, I have been all this morning [June 12, 1855] looking for a date." Let any one, then, imagine, if he can, the labor and time required in looking up, noting and other important facts. It is to be remembered down, and verifying hundreds of thousands of dates that the "DICTIONARY OF AUTHORS" combines in one work three departments of literary research never before combined to the same extent,―viz. I. Biography: who he is; II. Bibliography: the works he wrote, and the editions of those works; III. Criticism: opinions on his works. Nothing less than untiring vigilance, patient assiduity, and rigid system are sufficient for these things;" and if one be found willing to devote, in studious seclusion, his strength and the prime of his life to so useful a design, those who are to profit by his labors can, at least, as well afford to wait as he can to work. THE AUTHORS ABROAD. MR. KINGLAKE. It was announced, soon after the termination of the War in the Crimea, that Mr. Alexander William Kinglake, author of "Eothen," intended to write a history of that great struggle. The first portion, bringing the narrative down to the battle of Alma, has lately appeared in London, where it has caused unusual excitement; and its republication by Harper and Brothers, New York, is likely to be at least as popular here. The battle of the Alma took place in September, 1854. The capture of Balaklava, the contest of Inkermann, and the siege of Sebastopol were events in which but he died in June, 1855, three months before Lord Raglan, the British commander, participated; the fall of Sebastopol. In 1856, his widow placed in Mr. Kinglake's hands all the papers connected with the war which Lord Raglan had with him when he died,-a mass which included even the smallest scrap of writing that he received from the time of taking his command. From other English sources information also poured in; from each French commander whom Mr. Kinglake addressed; from the three divisional generals who commanded in the Crimea under Prince Mentschikoff; but no information from the French War Department. He also accompanied the English army when it landed on the coast of the Crimea in 1854, and was present with Lord Raglan at the battle of the Alma, during the flank-march and seizure of Balaklava, and dur ing the first bombardment of Sebastopol. His materials for a history of "The Invasion of the Crimea: its Origin, and an Account of its Progress down to the Death of Lord Raglan," were, therefore, great and reliable. He has produced a work full of truths, MAY 1, 1863. yet entertaining and exciting as a romance by engaged "off and on" for more than half a century. The poem was commenced in 1811, laid aside in 1814, taken up again in 1830, and, after endless interruptions, is now at last to see the light of day. FATHER MATHEW.-Mr. J. F. Maguire, M.P., is Mathew," which will appear this autumn. now engaged in writing a "Life of Father COLENSO LITERATURE IN ENGLAND.-The "London Bookseller" for March 31 gives a list of about fifty works published in England in reply to Bishop Colenso. This is almost equal to the Uncle Tom literature of ten years ago. MESSRS. VIRTUE BROTHERS, who are now the pro prietors of "Weale's Rudimentary Series," have just issued a new volume,-"Experimental Essays," by Charles Tomlinson, Lecturer at King's College. The essays are-I. On the Motions of Camphor on Water; II. On the Motion of Camphor towards the Light; III. History of the Modern Theory of Dew. WHO would have expected to see Darwin's "Theory of the Origin of Species" discussed, and admirably discussed, at the Antipodes? We have before us a copy of the "Press" of December 20, 1862, published at Canterbury, New Zealand, containing a dialogue on this subject, which is remarkable at once for its spirit, and for the clear and accurate view which it gives of Darwin's theory. that some readers will thank us for telling them who he is. Born at Taunton, in the county of Somerset, England, in 1809, he passed from Eton College to Cambridge, where he graduated, and then entered himself at Lincoln's Inn, pursuing his legal studies under the direction of Mr. Bethel, now Lord Westbury and Chancellor of England. In 1837 he was called to the bar, and practised in the Chancery courts. His cousin, who is a barrister of elder standing, is sergeant-at-law. Soon after leaving the university, Mr. A. W. Kinglake travelled in the East, where he wrote to his friends the charming letters which form the volume called "Eothen," which signifies "from the early dawn," -"from the East." It is said that after revising MR. SPURGEON'S FIVE-Hundredth SERMON.-On these letters he found the usual difficulty of an Wednesday evening, March 25, the printers of the unknown writer in getting a publisher who would Rev. Mr. Spurgeon's sermons entertained a number undertake the risk. However, Mr. John Ollivier, of their friends (about 250) at a tea and supper in an intelligent publisher in Pall Mall, undertook to the lecture-hall of the Metropolitan Tabernacle, print the book, receiving a guarantee against loss. London, to celebrate the publication of his 500th Its success was sudden and striking. So fresh and sermon, and to raise additional funds in aid of Mr. vivid a book of Travels had not appeared for a long Spurgeon's College for Training Young Ministers. time. It went through many editions in England, Mr. Spurgeon addressed the company at some length. was republished in the United States, and was trans-Messrs. Sheldon & Co., the American publishers of lated into several European languages. With the exception of a few articles in the Quarterly Review, Mr. Kinglake has not published any thing in the twenty years between the appearance of "Eothen" and the history of the "Invasion of the Crimea." In 1856, when he commenced writing the latter work, he quitted the practice of the law. In July, 1852, he was an unsuccessful candidate for the Parliamentary representation of the borough of Bridgewater. He was more successful in April, 1857, and was re-elected in 1859, after a sharp contest. He is an advanced Liberal, but declined to go to Parliament "as the pledged adherent of Lord Palmerston or any other minister." He has not spoken often, and then more sensibly than strikingly, in the House of Commons. He is independent in circumstances, and unmarried. THERE is good news in the world of literature. Mr. Tennyson's new poems, "Boadicea" and "Enoch the Fisherman," are complete. The latter is a dramatic subject, worked out in powerful and even, it is said, harrowing detail. WE hear that Captain Burton, the author and traveller, and M. du Chaillu, have concluded to visit the gorilla country in company on a sporting tour. ing. M. du Chaillu visits New York before starting lively time for the great apes ought to be approachwith Captain Burton. Spurgeon's sermons, have paid the author as high as $5000 for one year's sales. They have sold 300,000 volumes of his sermons. CHANGES IN THE TRADE. BOSTON. MR. WM. J. PARSONS has withdrawn from the firm of Little, Brown & Co., and has gone into the manufacturing business. MESSRS. B. W. TAGGARD and G. A. THOMPSON, well known from their former connection with the firms of Brown & Taggard and F. A. Brown & Co., have succeeded to the business and publications of those firms, under the title of TAGGARD & THOMP The publication of Bacon's Works, as edited by Spedding & Ellis, will be continued by them. Mr. Brown, with Mr. George A. Snow, continues business as F. A. Brown & Co. SON. NEW YORK CITY. SEVERAL changes have occurred in the location of New York publishers and booksellers, as follow: GEO. P. PUTNAM has removed to No. 441 BroadAway (up-stairs), next door to the Appletons, where ball's Novels, and, in connection with CHAS. T. he will continue the publication of the Life and Works of Irving, Bayard Taylor's Travels, KimEVANS, The Rebellion Record. BARON LIEBIG's new work, "The Natural Laws of Husbandry," contains the results of his observations, experiments, and study for the last fifteen years. M. VIENNET, the senior of the forty members of the French Academy, is about to publish his great epic poem, "La Françiade," on which he has been JOHN WILEY has taken the second floor of No. 535 Broadway, nearly opposite the Carters. Special attention will be paid by Mr. WILEY to the import ation and sale of Mechanical and Scientific Books and Periodicals. This is the American agency for the publications of Bagster & Sons and the London Religious Tract Society. MAY 1, 1863. C. B. RICHARDSON, Historical Bookseller, now has the rooms in the Irving Building, Nos. 594 and 596 Broadway, formerly occupied by C. B. Norton. At this place Mr. RICHARDSON will have peculiar facilities for acting as a Library Agent, and making purchases at auction-sales, it being in the same building with Messrs. Bangs, Merwin & Co. The "Historical Magazine" is published here. T. J. CROWEN removes on the 1st of May to No. 843 Broadway, and L. W. SCHMIDT (German Bookseller), to No. 454 Broadway, below Grand Street. WILLIAM HOLLINGSWORTH, dealer in Old Books, Maps, Prints, and Pamphlets, &c., has left Walker Street and taken a store at No. 140 Nassau Street. standard literature of his day, frequently in conjunction with his brother-in-law, George Long, the well-known printer and publisher, after whom the subject of this notice was named. Mr. Duyckinck the elder died in 1833, leaving two sons, Evert A. and George L., both of whom have kept up the association of their father's name by their devotion to literary occupations. George, the younger, was born in the city of New York, October 17, 1823. He was educated at Geneva College, New York, and at the University of the City of New York, graduating at the latter institution in 1843. One of his classmates was William Allen Butler, a gentleman known outside of his profession of the law, to which he is earnestly devoted, by the extraordinary success which has attended his occasional literary compositions, his poem "Nothing to Wear" being probably MR. VAN NOSTRAND still remains at No. 192 the most widely circulated production of the kind Broadway, but will hereafter occupy the ground ever published. The two friends, after the complefloor instead of the second story. His facilities tion of their college course, made a tour together in here will be much increased for carrying on the Europe, confirming their tastes for art and literapublication, importation, and sale of all works ture by the most liberal culture; and on their return devoted to or having a bearing upon the Military home Mr. Duyckinck, in 1848, became engaged Sciences. with his brother in the editorship of the Literary THE firm of ROE LOCKWOOD & SON has been dis-nued in their hands, with the aid of some of the most World, a weekly quarto journal, which was contisolved, and the business devolves upon the junior eminent writers in the country, till the end of 1853, partner, GEORGE R. LOCKWOOD, who has been assowhen it was closed with its thirteenth volume. ciated with his father since 1844. This is the third generation, in direct succession, who have conducted this business of school-books, American and foreign, in the city of New York. The original house (L. & F. LOCKWOOD) was established in that city so long ago as 1816, by the father and brother of Mr. ROE LOCKWOOD, who himself became interested in the year 1820. Even the same locality has been preserved for more than twenty-five years, which we do not think can be said of any other establishment. GEORGE R. LOCKWOOD is now the exclusive publisher of Audubon's Works, some of which are soon to be brought out in a new form. A PARTNERSHIP has been formed between MESSRS. MOHUN, EBBS & HOUGH, at 189 Broadway, near Maiden Lane, for carrying on a wholesale and retail business in English and American books and stationery. Mr. MOHUN was formerly with the extensive stationery house of B. & P. Lawrence. Messrs. Ebbs and Hough are well known from having been for a considerable time in the service of the Appletons. After this Mr. Duyckinck, still associated with his brother, prepared the "Cyclopædia of American Literature," an extensive work, requiring no little industry and perseverance, the first edition of which was published by Scribner, in New York, in 1856. It has since run through several editions, and, but for the state of the times, would before this have appeared in an enlarged form, its editors having been of late engaged in collecting materials for the purpose. This, it is expected, will shortly be done, Mr. Scribner having announced a new edition of the work. After a second visit to Europe, Mr. Duyckinck became the author of several valuable biographies, published by the Church Book Society, in New York. The first of these, a Life of the Christian poet George Herbert, was published in 1859, and the others, Lives of Bishop Ken, Latimer, and Jeremy Taylor, followed in rapid succession. They are all of general interest to the lovers of sound English literature, being written with pains-taking, historical fidelity, and in a style of equal earnestness and simplicity. The death of Mr. Duyckinck was appropriately noticed at a late meeting of the New York Historical Society, when a deserved tribute was paid to "his personal worth and his intellectual ability." The New York Evening Post says of the series of Biographies of which we have spoken, and of the general literary character of their author, "A deep reverites, and the traditions of the English Church, the rence and an almost filial fondness for the faith, the growth of life-long convictions and associations, made these works a labor of love to their author. In all his efforts Mr. Duyckinck followed the more sequestered paths of literary research, contenting himself with the fruits of those studies which are most congenial to the lovers of books, and with the approval of those whose riper scholarship enables them to place upon the works which they commend a seal of approbation none the less genuine and enduring because it is not 'Set off to the world, nor in broad rumor lies.' "Mr. Duyckinck had a fine taste for the arts, cultivated by their careful study during his visits to Europe, and he took a special pleasure and interest in whatever aided in their progress at home." MAY 1, 1863. WILLIAM C. HALL.-We are pained to be obliged to record the recent sudden death, at the age of eighty, of Mr. William C. Hall, a gentleman who had imported more foreign books into the United States and British Provinces of America than any other person. He had been engaged in the business for just fifty years, his first speculation of the kind being made immediately after the last war with Great Britain, and from that time to 1830 was the period of his greatest activity. His custom was to buy books in London-sometimes almost by whole ship-loads, four hundred or five hundred cases-in the summer season, and bring them over, and close off each shipment during the winter and spring, returning for a fresh supply. In this way he had crossed the Atlantic about two hundred times, and, many years since, calculated roughly that he had imported over three million volumes of books. The firm of D. Appleton & Co. owes its connection with books to Mr. Hall, their first introduction to the business being by the sale of his consignments. He owned the plates of Boydell's Shakespeare, the Musée Française et Royale, 6 vols. fol., the great French work on Egypt, and much other valuable book-property, stereotype plates, &c. No man was better known to the book-buyers of twenty or thirty years back. Mr. Hall leaves a large property, estimated at nearly half a million of dollars. JOHN S. MEEHAN, for thirty years Librarian of Congress, died in Washington, April 25, at the advanced age of seventy-three years. DR. WM. DARLINGTON.-The venerable Dr. Wm. Darlington, of West Chester, Pa., well known for his services in public life, as well as for various botanical and historical writings, died at his residence, April 23, aged eighty-one years. LIBRARY INTELLIGENCE. MANY of our most important libraries have recently put forth their annual reports, from which we gather some interesting information. HARVARD COLLEGE stands among the oldest of our literary institutions, and its library outnumbers, we believe, every other collection of books in this country. W. F. Poole, Esq., Librarian of the Boston Athenæum, drew up the report of the Committee of the Overseers appointed to visit the Library in 1862. To his excellent report is appended the annual statement of Mr. J. L. Sibley, the Librarian, and the minor reports on the Theological and Law libraries of the same college. It appears that the whole number of volumes in the various libraries of Harvard is now about 150,000; viz. in the College library (Gore Hall), 99,000 volumes (exclusive of 65.000 pamphlets); in the Theological library, 9400 volumes (besides 4000 pamphlets); in the Law library, 13,300 volumes; in the Medi cal library, 2000 volumes; in the Scientific school, 7000 volumes; in the Phillips Astronomical library, 1500 volumes; and in the Society libraries, about 17,000 volumes. The College library proper is increasing at the annual rate of 5000 volumes and 3500 pamphlets. During the year ending in 1862, 3420 volumes and 324 pamphlets were bought, at a cost of nearly $7000. Over 1700 volumes and 3200 pamphlets were presented to the library. The library has annually the income from a fund of $21,000, to be spent in books, and of late years $5000 additional has been annually given by Mr. William Gray. The library employs a librarian, an associate librarian, two male assistants, a janitor, and five female assistants, who are engaged in cataloguing. We shall refer in another number to the plan of a classified catalogue by Mr. Abbot, the assistant librarian. The BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY makes an annual report in November to the city corporation. This vigorous establishment continues to flourish under the presidential guidance of Hon. E. Everett and the superintendence of Prof. C. C. Jewett. The collection of books now includes 105,000 volumes, besides 28,874 pamphlets. 84,000 volumes belong to the Reference library in the upper hall, and 21,000 volumes to the Circulating library in the lower hall. Last year 7400 volumes were added, of which 6100 volumes were purchased and 1300 volumes were presented. Among the gifts, special mention is made of a large and rare collection of volumes pertaining to the life of Molière. Mr. W. H. Prescott began the collection in 1837, with the plan of writing a life of the dramatist, and, after he abandoned this purpose, Mr. George Ticknor, by whom the books are given to the library, cherished the theme and augmented the number until it reached 132 volumes. The expenses of the library during the year were as follows:-for books and periodicals, $9400; for other purposes, $18,200; total, $27,654. During the year the loan of books made a daily average of 626 volumes. On some days it was ascertained by count that 2000 persons visited the library for literary purposes. The tastes of those who make use of the Reference library are indicated in the following table, which shows the number of books consulted in each department:English History...... 18 per cent. American History and Early Literature 12) Theology and Ethics... Useful and Fine Arts.... Medicine..... French History and Literature........... Mathematics and Physical Science...... Oriental History and Literature.......................... German History and Literature..... Greek and Latin Classics.. Jurisprudence.... .... Italian History and Literature.... 66 12 66 8 7 66 64 The ASTOR LIBRARY.-The Trustees presented in February last, to the New York Legislature, their annual report for the year 1862. This Institution, like some others, has curtailed its purchases of foreign books, on account of the high price of exchange. Transactions of learned societies, and the important series of periodicals, have been continued without interruption. Five hundred volumes have been bought, and five hundred and fifty-four have been received by donation, during the year. The amount expended for books and binding in the year is $2726.78. The Trustees announce that they have requested the late Superintendent, Dr. J. G. Cogswell, to prepare an index of subjects or classified catalogue of betical catalogue, in four volumes, which he has the library, together with a supplement to the alphaalready given to the public. We believe that this work is already engaging his attention, although we regret to learn that he is now quite unwell. Mr. Francis Schroeder is the successor of Dr. Cogswell as Superintendent of the library. The MERCANTILE LIBRARY COMPANY OF PHILADELPHIA, in their fortieth report, announce the addition of 1351 volumes to their collection, 74 of The cost of the purwhich were received by gift. Total number of volumes, chases was $1634. 23,816. About 70,000 volumes have been lent for home-perusal during the year. Total receipts, $9053. Expenditures, $8375. Mr. John Edmands continues to be the efficient librarian of the Society. The NEW BEDFORD FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY Was established in 1852. From the Eleventh annual |