town with a view to their preservation in the future town library. It may be added that a small trial invoice of duplicate bound newspapers has been sent to the auction room, and that such a fair return has been received therefor that a second invoice has been forwarded.

With the approval of the Library Committee, the very imperfect files of our duplicate English and American illustrated newspapers have been sent to the Worcester City Hospital. Our binders have considerably reduced the accumulations of unbound magazines and newspapers, greatly to our present relief. While we may never be able to have a bindery of our own, the convenience of a repair shop for books and pamphlets under our own roof, where there would be the minimum risk from fire, is often suggested by the presence of broken backs, loose leaves, and torn plates. In the case of books of special value, such as the unbound Massachusetts folio journals and resolves, a library bindery would relieve your librarian of not a little anxiety.

The roof upon the main hall has been re-tinned, after thirty-three years of service, and the skylight thoroughly repaired, thus securing us from damage by water. Perhaps the next most important service to be rendered by the Salisbury Building Fund is the placing of shelves in the lower hall for special lines of books, as well as for our large collection of duplicates now in part piled upon the floor. These shelves can be of an inexpensive character, and should stand back to back, opposite the centres of the wall shelving, between the windows on the north and south sides, giving the effect of alcoves.

The Society of Antiquaries of London, whose favors to this Society have been long continued, has recently, in answer to a request made to our foreign corresponding societies, notified us of the gaps in its set of our publications. It is our desire to receive such information, and to act upon it promptly so far as it is in our power. It would seem wise to print editions sufficiently large to en

able us to make a fair return by exchange to all bodies with which we are in correspondence. Until our Publishing Fund is large enough to provide for the reprinting of the second volume of our transactions-perhaps the most valuable in the series-we shall be very glad to secure copies of it by purchase, gift, or exchange, either from members, friends, or dealers. We are often asked if there is an index to the proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society, and it may help our treasury to be able to respond to such inquiries. We have a Partial Index to the Proceedings, first series, 1812-1881, by Mr. Salisbury, with a Bibliography of the Society by Mr. Paine, which may be had, post paid, in boards or sheets, for one dollar. The New Series of Proceedings is printed in numbers, continuously paged, so that when a volume is ready the title page and index are added, and the book is complete. For seventy-five cents and the numbers, an exchange can be made for a bound volume, uncut, top gilt, and with gilt lettering upon the back. The title-page and index to volume four, new series, will be sent out with the proceedings of this meeting.

The pupils of Worcester Academy have recently made a pilgrimage to our library, under the guidance of their instructor in history. We trust that not only this visit will be repeated, but that we may become more and more closely associated with all the institutions of learning about us, both of the higher order, like the Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and the College of the Holy Cross, of the present, and the Clark University of the near future; and of the academies and schools, which are, or are to be their feeders.

The fourth meeting of the American Historical Association, whose chief officers are members of this society, was held at Boston and Cambridge, May 21-24, 1887, and was a pronounced success. It was thought best that your librarian should, in the interest of historical pursuits, attend its sessions, and extend to his fellow-members the privileges

and hospitality of Antiquarian Hall, which have so often been offered in the Society's publications, and by its members.

We shall not fulfil our mission of encouraging the preservation and use of American history until by the establishment of a fund for the especial purpose, or otherwise, we are able to subscribe for important archæological and historical works upon their inception, and thus help to insure their careful preparation and publication. We have not yet known those "piping times of peace" referred to by Dibdin when the Society's "Surplusage of wealth finds a vent in the channel of book purchasing," and therefore cannot always do as we wish. However, as ours is a national society, shall we not try to make its library what Henry Stevens twenty-five years ago called "An index of a nation's wealth, taste and character?"

It being important that we should make the best possible use of our limited book purchasing funds special attention has been given to the careful examination of foreign and domestic catalogues. It has sometimes happened that distance from the place of publication has lessened the price asked for an uncommon book which an active market nearer home had caused to become rare. The finding in these catalogues from time to time at reasonable rates, of rare books of which we are sadly in need, coupled with the knowledge that we have practically no general fund with which to buy them, recalls the forceful words of Colonel Washburn in his Council report of April, 1883. He said, you will remember, "That the importance of making one at least of our departments as nearly complete as the lot of humanity will admit cannot be overestimated," adding that "What we need is a gift of money devoted to no specified purpose saving only the general condition that

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it shall be devoted to the purchase of books."

We would extend our hearty congratulations to those kindred societies, which have been made happy by the

increase of library funds or by the prospect of better accommodations, as well as to the nation and its cities and towns for the bright library outlook. Whether undertaken by the national or municipal governments or by individuals in their places of birth or adoption, it matters little so the good work goes forward. The roll of honor is a long one, but need not here be given. It is so evident that the spirit of library helpfulness is abroad that we await our turn with confidence. Your librarian desires from time to time to state special as well as general wants and then to leave them hopefully in your hands.

Respectfully submitted.

EDMUND M. BARTON,

Librarian.

Donors and Donations.

FROM MEMBERS.

BARTON, Mr. EDMUND M., Worcester.-Ten pamphlets; a cabinet photograph of himself; and "St. John's Echo" and "St. Andrew's Cross" in continuation. BEDDOE, JOHN, F.R.S., Bristol, Eng. His "Races of Great Britain: A Contribution to the Anthropology of Western Europe."

BREVOORT, Hon. J. CARSON, Brooklyn, N. Y.-Eleven books; seven pamphlets; and one map.

BRINTON, Prof. DANIEL G., Philadelphia, Pa.-His "Review of the Data for the Study of Prehistoric Chronology of America."

BROCK, Mr. ROBERT A., Richmond, Va.-"Pocahontas and her Descendants," with notes by Mr. Brock.

CHANDLER, GEORGE, M.D., Worcester.-Two pamphlets.

DAVIS, Mr. ANDREW MCF., Cambridge.-His "Colony of Nox"; and his "Historical Study of Law's System."

DAVIS, Hon. EDWARD L., Worcester.-Eight books; and three hundred and one pamphlets.

DEVENS, Hon. CHARLES, President, Worcester.-His address at the annual meeting of the Bunker Hill Monument Association, June 17, 1887. DEWEY, Hon. FRANCIS H., Worcester.-One book; and one hundred and forty-one pamphlets.

DEXTER, Prof. FRANKLIN B., New Haven, Conn.-His "Sketch of the History of Yale University;" and a cabinet photograph of himself.

ELLIS, Rev. GEORGE E., LL.D., Boston.-His address delivered before the New York Historical Society on its 82d anniversary.

GILMAN, DANIEL C., LL.D., Baltimore, Md.-His paper on "The Art Movement in America"; and one pamphlet.

GREEN, Hon. SAMUEL A., Boston.-His Groton Historical Series, vol. 2, Nos. 1 and 2; two hundred and thirty-four books; eighty-four pamphlets; and the American Journal of Numismatics, as issued.

HARDEN, WILLIAM, Esq., Savannah, Ga.-The Life of George M. Troup.
HITCHCOCK, EDWARD, M.D., Amherst.-One pamphlet.

HOAR, Hon. GEORGE F., Worcester.-Two books; thirty-three pamphlets;
one manuscript; and the Official Record of the Rebellion, as issued.
HUNTINGTON, Rev. WILLIAM R., D.D., New York.-His "Religious Use of
Wealth: A sermon commemorative of Catharine Lorillard Wolfe."

JONES, Hon. CHARLES C., LL.D., Augusta, Ga.-His address before the Confederate Survivors' Association at its Ninth Annual Reunion.