l Publications and Transactions of Learned
Societies (not included in Lists 2, 3, or 6), Collections,
Encyclopaedias, Gazetteers, Atlases, Dictionaries,
Bibliographies, Indexes, etc.

These draft lists include 4582 distinct works, extending to about 12,438
volumes, including pamphlets, but exclusive of 553 Parliamentary Papers
and Reports, or _Blue Books_. Such a practically useful collection of
lists of books will not easily be found elsewhere.

Mr. Edwards gives some rules for the formation of Libraries in the second
volume of his _Memoirs of Libraries_ (p. 629), where he writes, "No task
is more likely to strip a man of self-conceit than that of having to
frame, and to carry out in detail a plan for the formation of a large
Library. When he has once got beyond those departments of knowledge in
which his own pursuits and tastes have specially interested him, the duty
becomes a difficult one, and the certainty, that with his best efforts, it
will be very imperfectly performed is embarrassing and painful. If, on the
other hand, the task be imposed upon a 'Committee,' there ensues almost
the certainty that its execution will depend at least as much on chance as
on plan: that responsibility will be so attenuated as to pass off in
vapour; and that the collection so brought together will consist of parts
bearing but a chaotic sort of relation to the whole."

Mr. Henry Stevens printed in 1853 his pretty little book entitled
_Catalogue of my English Library_, which contains a very useful selection
of Standard books. In his Introduction the author writes, "It was my
intention in the outset not to exceed 4000 volumes, but little by little
the list has increased to 5751 volumes. I have been considerably puzzled
to know what titles to strike out in my next impression, being well aware
that what is trash to one person is by no means such to another; also that
many books of more merit than those admitted have been omitted. You may
not think it difficult to strike out twenty authors, and to add twenty
better ones in their place, but let me relate to you a parable. I
requested twenty men, whose opinions on the Literary Exchange are as good
as those of the Barings or the Rothschilds on the Royal, each to expunge
twenty authors and to insert twenty others of better standing in their
places, promising to exclude in my next impression any author who should
receive more than five votes. The result was, as may be supposed,