Memoirs of Libraries Volume 2; Including a Handbook of Library Economy (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1859 Excerpt: ...The City of the Magyar: "the Library was in sad confusion, for many of the books had been damaged by the inundation this was the terrible inundation of 1838... while, to increase the disorder, the nation had justmade a new purchase, consisting of several thousand volumes, and the huge cases were yet unopened. It is very rich," she adds, "in MSS., principally local and historical, the remains of an immense collection, contributed by the different Religious Houses, but partially destroyed by the Turks."3 In 1851, the number of printed volumes was 65,000;3 in 1853, nearly 72,000; that of MSS. was (at the latter date) 1510. The szechenyi But the chief literary glory of Pesth is its "National National Library B, of Hungary. Museum," which contains aLibrary of nearly 180,000 volumes founded byCountFrancisSz chenyi, HighChamberlain of Hungary, who, in 1802, gave as its ground work, a very noble collection of Hungarian books, both printed and MSS., to be perpetually preserved for public use. In 1804, the collection was brought to Pesth, was ar 1 Kohl, Austria, 243, 244. 2 City of tke Magyar, ii, 212. 3 Petzholdt, ut supra. BOOK Chapter X. ranged in the former Convent of St., Paul and was opened to the Public. The patriotic foundation laid by Th- Litmme. ni Szechenyi was so quickly built upon by men of like mind, that within two years-a larger building became necessary, and accommodation was found in part of the edifice appropriated to the general Seminary of Pesth. The gifts continuing to pour in, it was soon determined that the institution should receive a new organisation and wider aims. The "-National Museum of Hungary" was constituted by law in 1808; a sum of 500,000 florins was raised within a few months, and a ...