Page:The library a magazine of bibliography and library literature, Volume 6.djvu/194

 !82 The Library. and we are confident it would be impossible to challenge any of the criticisms that have appeared in the pages of THE LIBRARY as either wanting in knowledge or fairness and what is the result ? When our reviewer speaks well of a piece of work we hear nothing about it, for the compiler justly thinks it nothing more than his due-; but should the unfortunate reviewer venture to point out blunders and careless work, indignant remonstrances pour in from the victim and his friends ; and we are sorry, and almost ashamed for the credit of the craft, to have to say that subscribers have stopped their subscriptions, and members of the Library Association have even resigned their membership on this ground alone. We are tired of this, and, after this month, will criticise no more public library catalogues. Instead, we shall, month by month, publish a list of new catalogues, briefly describing them without criticism of any kind. From time to time our reviewer will furnish general articles criticising in the abstract anynew features in recent cataloguing, and calling attention to the graver faults. In this way we shall hope to effect some good without doing any harm or hurting any feelings ; for those compilers, who feel that they have been guilty of errors pointed out, will have the satisfaction of think- ing that no one but themselves is aware of how well the cap fits. Catalogues* Wigan. Free Public Library. Reference Department. Cata- logue of Books, by H. T. Folkard, Librarian. (Letter G only). Part 2, 1894. Mr. Folkard's elaborate work continues steadily on its way, attaining to the same level of merit as was reached by the previous parts of his catalogue. The alphabetical arrangement of the titles of tracts contained in collections such as the Geological Survey, the Harleian Miscellany -, Sowers' Tracts and others is most useful for students. There may be some question as to the advantage of devoting three pages in small type to Gibson's Preservative against Popery, because many of the tracts are obsolete and their subjects worn out. But the utility of the list of short papers in Gallon's Vacation Tourists is unquestionable. Still, we would rather have too many than too few of these explanatory notices, and we may express the hope that every librarian will be stimulated by Mr. Folkard's example and by Mr. Barrett's encouraging account of the great catalogue of the Peabody Institute, Baltimore (vol. vi., No. 63 of the LIBRARY) to be as copious and informing as possible. It is interesting to find that Wigan possesses Robert Southey's copy of Garibayfs Spanish History. " I am glad to possess a relic of Garibay," writes the English author ; " Garibay whom I love for his laborious life and for the excellent simplicity with which he requests Philip II. to employ a few of his very few leisure moments in reading these four volumes " (folio !) A glance at a few of the subjects entered in this part of the catalogue testifies to the care and liberality of the Wigan Committee in providing for the literary needs of the frequenters of the Library. Mr. Gladstone's works, speeches and memoirs occupy two quarto pages of the list ; Goethe an equal space ; Oliver Goldsmith a page and a half, and Robert Greene, the old dramatist, a full half page. The index to Greek writers in the library more than fills one page, and the miscellaneous collections of scientific papers are set forth in due proportion. So that here the most omnivorous reader can find pabulum to his heart's content.