THE NEW YORK ASTOR, LEWOX AND Books are the friends of the friendless, and a library the home of the homeless. A taste for reading will carry you into the best possible company, and enable you to converse with men who will instruct you with their wisdom, and charm you by their wit, who will soothe you when fretted, refresh you when weary, counsel you when perplexed, and sympathize with you at all times. G. S. HILLIARD. The books here catalogued have been classified on what is known as the Dewey Decimal system, but for the purpose of a call number they have been shelved in 12 main classes, as under: A.-General works-Bibliography, Cyclopædias, Magazines, etc. B.-Philosophy-Metaphysics, Psychology, Logic, Ethics, Philosophical systems, etc. F.-Fiction. G.-Natural Science-Mathematics, Astronomy, Physics, Chemistry, Geology, Biology, Botany Zoology, etc. H.-Useful Arts-Medicine, Engineering, Agriculture, Domestic Economy, Manufactures, Building, etc. M.-History-Geography, Voyages, and Travel. When the title of a book is followed by two or more numbers, it is to be understood that there is a corresponding number of copies of that work in the library. For example-Dickens (Charles) Bleak House. F 2364, F 2365, F 2366. These numbers show that there are three copies of the book in the library. When the numbers are connected by a hyphen thus-Lecky (W. E. H.) History of Ireland in the eighteenth century. M 1636-40; they signify that the five volumes of the work are numbered respectively M 1636, M 1637, M 1638 M 1639, M 1640, and that each volume is issued separately. All books will be found under the best known signature of the author-whether pseudonym or other. The correct name has also been given in each case when known; with a cross reference to the assumed name or vice versa. Anonymous works, apart from being entered under the title and subject, are entered under the author's name when possible. The reader's attention is directed to the order in which series of books should be read, thus: 1. Katharine Lauderdale. By Crawford (F. M.) ... FOR CONTINUATION. READ "Ralstons." F 2112, F 2113. 2.-Ralstons. By Crawford (F. M.) IS A SEQUEL TO "Katharine Lauderdale." 3. Great Britain-Constitution : ... F 2096 F 2097 Stubbs (W., Bishop) Constitutional history of England [Earliest times to 1485.]. 3v. D 615 INDICATORS. When applying for a book readers must first consult the "Indicators " adopted for the purpose of showing what books are available for issue at any particular moment. When a number is printed on a GREEN ground it is to be understood that the volume represented by that number is IN, and may be called for; on the other hand if the number be printed on a BLACK ground, it indicates that the volume is OUT. When the reader has ascertained that the desired work is IN, the ticket, together with number of book required, must be given to the Assistant, who will issue the volume, retaining the ticket until the book is returned. FACILITIES FOR EXAMINATION OF BOOKS. Students and other borrowers wishing to examine books on any particular subject before deciding what to take home, may, upon application in the Reference Library, have any, or all, of the books available at the moment, brought to them for examination. There, the reader will have an opportunity of perusing the volumes in comfort. After selecting the work required, it should be handed to the Assistant, who will then pass it through to the Lending Library that it may be duly charged to the borrower. This arrangement does not, however, apply to works of Fiction. C. W. F. G. r the PREFACE. T HE arrangement of this work is such as will enable the reader to find the author, the title, and the subject of any given work in precisely the same manner as one might find a particular word in a dictionary. It has, however, been long felt by persons using Public Libraries-especially by those engaged in study-that something more is required than a mere list of titles; something that will illustrate the character of the books available, and enable the student and reader to judge of their peculiarities and of their desirableness, as well as of their general merits. It is from frequent experience of this need that the idea suggested itself to the compiler, of giving a brief synopsis of each book, or some information concerning the standpoint from which it was written, since he felt sure that summaries given under the principal topics throughout the Catalogue, would afford to the reader a fair insight into the whole of the works under the various headings. The titles of some books readily explain themselves and suggest at once their scope, yet the titles of others are too often obscure and perplexing, and thus many good and reliable works are lost to the general reader, and remain untouched upon the shelves. Hence the endeavour to place before the public an intelligible view of all the more important books contained in the Library, in the hope that such view will assist in, or lead to, a systematic method and order of reading. It was, of course, inevitable that there should be a considerable number of subjects without notes, but, as a rule, the scope of such volumes is sufficiently explained in their titles. In order to give a connected idea of the leading facts of a subject, the synoptical notes have been more frequently given under the subject, than was deemed desirable under the author's name; but in the case of fiction, wherever possible, the note has been given under the author's name, and not under the title. The practice of giving the date of publication of works of history or travel, has not only proved sometimes useless, but misleading; often causing readers to take out books bearing recent dates, under the impression that they related to recent events, only to find them to be reprints of former publications. It has therefore been thought desirable, throughout the Catalogue, to give in a bracket, the period covered by the history, travel, or mission, rather than the date of publication. For descriptions of many works of fiction the compiler is indebted to the Sub-Librarian, Mr. Hugh Smith. To him, as well as to four of the assistants-Messrs. Darby, Stephen, Harris and Peck-a grateful acknowledgment is due, for the imperturbable cheerfulness with which they have helped forward the work of compilation and revision of proofs, and to whom must be attributed much of what is meritoriously accurate in the following pages. It is likewise a duty as well as a pleasure to acknowledge the kind and generous encouragement at all times received from the Governors of the foundation. It is perhaps desirable to state, in conclusion, that the compiler, in his explanatory notes, has never pretended to speak positively, and has avoided anything approaching criticism, unnecessary detail, or flippant expression of private opinion; being content with an attempt to describe the authors' methods, to adhere closely to the authors' meaning, and to impart, under the various headings, some idea of the subject matter of the books enumerated. With these remarks, it is hoped the reader may form an adequate conception of the nature and aims of the Catalogue, and that, however imperfect the execution of it, the compilation may not be without its use. October 28th, 1901. C. W. F. G. |