of art connected therewith, and to associate such library with
the Borough Central Reference Library, in order that it may be
permanently preserved." A hundred pounds were subscribed at this
meeting, and a committee formed to proceed with the project. In a very
few months funds rolled in, and Shakespeareans from all parts of the
world sent willing contributions to this the first Shakespearean library
ever thought of. It was determined to call it a "Memorial" library, in
honour of the tercentenary of 1864, and on the poet's day of that year,
the library was formally presented to the town at a breakfast given at
Nock's Hotel by the Mayor (Mr. W. Holliday). Dr. Miller, George Dawson,
M.D. Hill (Recorder), T.C.S. Kynnersley, R.W. Dale, Sam. Timmins, and
others took part in the proceedings, and the Mayor, on behalf of the
Free Libraries Committee, accepted the gift on the terms agreed to by
the Town Council, viz., that the Library should be called "The
Shakespearean Memorial Library," that a room should be specially and
exclusively appropriated for the purposes thereof; that the library
should be under the same regulations as the Reference Library; and that
the Free Libraries' Committee should maintain and augment it, and accept
all works appertaining to Shakespeare that might be presented, &c. As
George Dawson prophesied on that occasion, the library in a few years
become the finest collection of Shakespearean literature in Europe
therein being gathered from every land which the poet's fame had
reached, not only the multitudinous editions of his works, but also
every available scrap of literature bearing thereon, from the massive
folios and quaint quartoes of the old times to the veriest trifle of
current gossip culled from the columns of the newspapers. Nothing was
considered too rare or too unimportant, so long as it had connection
even remote to Shakespeare; and the very room (opened April 23, 1888),
in which the books were stored itself acquired a Shakespearean value in
its carved and elaborately-appropriate fittings. When started, it was
hoped that at least 5,000 volumes would be got together, but that number
was passed in 1874, and at the end of 1878 there were more than 8,700,
in addition to the books, pictures, documents, and relics connected with
Stratford-on-Avon and her gifted son contained in the Staunton
collection. How all the treasures vanished has already been told. Much
has been done to replace the library, a