ant, and in the second place to satisfy it. A
quarter-of-a-century's earnest effort in a good cause, however, cannot
fail to produce some fruit, and within the last three or four years
much brighter days have dawned. Mr. Guille's lifelong friend and
former business partner, Mr. F.M. Alles,--who had often previously
substantially assisted him,--has latterly thoroughly associated
himself with the work, and the result is that the rudimentary scheme
of 1856 has at length culminated in the splendid

GUILLE-ALLES LIBRARY,

which was thrown open to the public in the old Assembly Rooms, on the
2nd of January, 1882, and bears on its portal the appropriate motto:
_Ingredere ut proficias_--"Enter that thou mayst profit." How
admirably this fine Institution is fulfilling its mission is
well-known to all who frequent it. It already contains a collection of
over 35,000 volumes--to which constant additions are being made--of
valuable and standard works in all branches of science, literature and
art, both in the French and English languages, besides numerous works
in German, Italian, Greek, Latin, &c. It has a commodious
Reading-room, well supplied with journals and periodical publications;
while a Society of Natural Science has also been inaugurated and meets
in connection with it. The Guernsey Mechanics' Institution--after an
existence of just half-a-century--was absorbed into it at the close of
1881; and the Library of the _Societe Guernesiaise_--founded in
1867--now finds a home on its shelves. The subscription for membership
is merely nominal, and Messrs. Guille and Alles have made arrangements
to endow the Institution with such ample funds as shall secure in
perpetuity the many benefits which it is conferring upon the island.

THE FUTURE OF THE INSTITUTION

is therefore fully assured and its wants provided for. The spacious
new buildings which have been for many months in process of erection
are now (December, 1885) rapidly approaching completion. They comprise
a spacious and handsome Lecture Hall, capable of seating from 250 to
300 persons; a Book-room 63-ft. by 25-ft., exclusively for the lending
department, and which will accommodate on its shelves from 45,000 to
50,000 additional volumes--with a large anteroom for the convenience
of the subscribers. The present Reading-room will then be used for a
Reference Library and Students' Consulting and Reading-room. There are
also a General Reading-room, a Working Men's Reading-ro