iched it with a collection of pamphlets and periodical papers,
published in England between 1640 and 1660, and chiefly illustrative of
the civil wars in the time of Charles I., by whom the collection was
commenced. Among other valuable acquisitions may be mentioned Garrick's
collection of old English plays, Mr. Thomas Tyrwhitt's library, Sir
William Musgrave's collection of biography, the general library of the
Rev. C. M. Cracherode, the libraries of M. Ginguene, Baron de Moll, Dr.
Burney, and Sir R. C. Hoare; and above all, the bequest of Major Arthur
Edwards, who left to it his noble library, and L7000 as a fund for the
purchase of books. Four separate collections of tracts, illustrative of
the revolutionary history of France, have been purchased at different
times by the trustees, in the exercise of the powers with which they are
invested. One of these was the collection formed by the last president
of the parliament at Bretagne, at the commencement of the revolution;
two others extended generally throughout the whole revolutionary period;
and the fourth consisted of a collection of tracts, published during the
reign of the Hundred Days in 1815--forming altogether a body of
materials for the history of the revolution as complete in regard to
France as the collection of pamphlets and tracts already mentioned is
with respect to the civil wars of England in the time of Charles I.
Another feature of the Museum Library is its progressive collection of
newspapers, from the appearance of the first of these publications in
1588. Sir Hans Sloane had formed a great collection for his day. But to
this was added, in 1818, the Burney collection, purchased at the
estimated value of L1000; and since that period the Commissioners of
Stamps have continued regularly to forward to the Museum, copies of all
newspapers deposited by the publishers in their office.

In 1823, the Royal Library collected by George III. was presented to the
British nation by his successor George IV., and ordered by parliament to
be added to the library of the British Museum, but to be kept for ever
separate from the other books in that institution. The general plan of
its formation appears to have been determined on by George III., soon
after his accession to the throne; and the first extensive purchase made
for it was that of the library of Mr. Joseph Smith, British consul at
Venice, in 1762, for which his majesty paid about L10,000. In 1768 Mr.
(afterwards S