Page:The library a magazine of bibliography and library literature, Volume 6.djvu/158

 146 The Library. Each member of the Association receives a copy of the newspaper reporting the meeting, which generally contains full reports of the papers read. The Association is now an affiliated member of the L.A.U.K., sending its representative to the conference, receiving a report of the work done there, and also circulating the LIBRARY amongst the N.M.L.A. members. I think if other similar associations were established it would result in benefit to numbers of librarians who are unable to join the parent associa- tion, and also possibly be to the benefit eventually of the L.A.U.K. JOHN T. RADFORD. Jottings. MR. BROWN, of Clerkenwell, writes : " An absurd series of paragraphs appear in Answers of March3i, among which, with other things, it is stated that I was the originator of music sections in public libraries, and that pieces of music were borrowed from the Clerkenwell Public Library which, when played to a person afflicted with brain fever, effectually cured his disorder. This article has rather upset some of those quidnuncs who, because they were born over half a century ago, naturally were the first to introduce all sorts of things into libraries, and I desire to disclaim all knowledge of the Answers statements, since the suggestion has been rather unkindly made that I was the author of the paragraphs myself. On previous occasions I have stated the well-known facts that music was introduced into public libraries nearly forty years ago, and Liverpool, Birmingham, Manchester, Cambridge and many other towns have had collections for a long series of years. I am not aware if the Americans claim this * innovation,' but incline to think not, as Brooklyn, sometime before 1882, is the earliest instance I can find, and this is youth compared with Liverpool, which introduced music previous to 1859. " As regards the alleged cure, I have my doubts, especially as Clerken- well possesses no music of therapeutic value, so far as I am aware. With the exception of various violin ' schools,' collections of vocal music, etc., our music section is not as yet remarkable. I am a believer in the curative power of music in cases of nervous upset, and share to a modified extent the opinions of my namesake, Dr. Richard Browne, of Oakham, who issued his ' Medicina Musica ' in 1729. It would be a very ad- mirable thing if someone possessing the necessary qualifications would compile for the use of hospitals and public libraries a classified list of music peculiarly adapted to the cure of disease. This would be very rich in anodynes and counter-irritants ! A remarkable instance of this latter power may be observed in the ease with which a new popular comic song kills its predecessors. I have also heard it stated that bagpipe music relieves the toothache, but this, 1 suspect, is a libel concocted by some jealous sassenach." A Chicago correspondent writes : " An adventure which befell me the other day in a Chicago public library may, perhaps, be of interest to your readers. I had asked for a copy of Geoffrey Hamlyn, and the librarian said that he had never heard of the book. After research, however, he came and informed me that there was a book called ' The