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INTRODUCTION.

THIS work was first undertaken at the request of the Young Men's Association of the State of NewYork.* It was mainly intended, at the outset, as a help to Associations, Lyceums, School Districts, &c.,, &c., in selecting useful and interesting works for their libraries. In proportion as such libraries are multiplied, and spread out their stores before the whole people, in the same proportion it is important that they should be composed of useful and improving books, to the exclusion of all that are noxious, or merely worthless. In this great object the compiler

* Extract from the Proceedings of the Second Annual Meeting of the Young Men's State Association, held at Auburn, August 4th, 1842:

Whereas libraries for young men's associations, school districts, &c., are most important instruments for the education and improvement of our people; and whereas the persons immediately charged with the duty of selecting books often find it extremely difficult to make judicious selections, which will be satisfactory to their employers; therefore,

Resolved, that, in the estimation of this Association, it is highly desirable that a small volume, of the size of one of the volumes of the School District Library, be prepared under the supervision of the Association, to contain a course of reading, bibliographical notices of books in different departments of learning, and catalogues of libraries, both large and small, for the use of young men's associations, school district libraries, private persons, &c., &c.

On motion of Mr. French, of Albany,

Resolved, that Messrs. Alonzo Potter, Amos Dean, and Francis Dwight, be requested to see whether arrangements can be made for the publication of such a volume, and be a committee to prepare the same.

has felt so deep an interest, that he has considered it a privilege to rescue from other, and engrossing cares, an occasional hour for this labour of love.

It occurred to him, in the progress of the work, that it might be advantageously extended, so as to meet the wants of scholars in the earlier stages of their researches, and of young persons, who may desire some aid in tracing out a judicious course of reading or study. This volume is accordingly composed of three parts:

PART FIRST

embraces various courses of reading or study for general readers, professional students, and for those who are engaged in investigating particular branches of literature.

PART SECOND

contains a series of authors in philosophy, literature, and science, who have gained the rank of classics in their respective departments. They are arranged in chronological order, with brief notices, so that this part of the work may be found useful, not only as a compendium of Bibliography, but also as a very brief sketch of literary history. It is intended especially for the use of those who are engaged in original researches, or who are anxious to collect around them the great teachers of wisdom who belong to history. It should be understood, however, that its pretensions are humble. It does not profess to supersede the larger works on Bibliography, nor to give a complete catalogue of classic or standard works, but merely to guide the student in the earliest stages of investigation.

PART THIRD

contains a list of about 1500 works (with critical notices, prices, &c., &c.), adapted to general reading. It will be found useful in collecting miscellaneous libraries, and in finding books which treat on the various branches of literature.

In one or two respects, this manual will be found more convenient than the ordinary works on Bibliography. It assigns the first, and most prominent place, to intellectual, as distinguished from material Bibliography. The latter is occupied mainly with titles, editions, prices, scarcity, &c., &c., and is arranged alphabetically; the former, treating of the subject and literary and historic value of works, is arranged on the principles of the "Catalogue Raisonné," i. e., by subjects. Most of the great works which are used by scholars are constructed on the alphabetical plan, and are much more rich in information respecting the material character of books than respecting their object, scope, or critical value. Most of the later works, too, have been published on the Continent of Europe, and are therefore incomplete in English and American literature. Perhaps none of them is superior, for general use, to Brunet's " Manual de Libraire," an admirable French work, in 6 vols. 8vo; and yet this work, costing, in this country, about $16 00, rather presupposes than communicates information in regard to the literary character of works, and the general scope of their contents. It is also incomplete in regard to recent literature in our own language. Such a work may be valuable to the practised and erudite scholar, but can afford little aid to that great mass of

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